James Conrad

CIG Affiliated - Executive & Leadership Consultant

Jim Conrad, one of Ohio’s most respected public leaders and management consultants, has been appointed to more cabinet posts by more Governors than likely anyone in Ohio history. With more than 30 years of successful leadership and management experience in a wide variety of functional disciplines and budget-critical positions, Conrad specializes in working with organizations to help them achieve new levels of organizational effectiveness and efficiencies.

 

Conrad’s leadership has been recognized time and again by national groups and associations, including the National Governor’s Association’s Award for Distinguished Service to State Government, the Ohio Trial Academy’s Public Servant of the Year, and the National Job Service Employer Committee’s Outstanding Administrator.  In addition, in a distinguished military career, Conrad received two bronze stars and three U.S. Army commendation medals for valor for his service in combat in Vietnam.

 

In 1995, Governor George V. Voinovich declared the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation the “silent killer of jobs” and tapped Conrad to lead the agency as CEO/Administrator. The largest single-line insurer in the nation with $22 billion in assets provided coverage to more than 5 million workers and 278,000 Ohio businesses. During his decade as CEO, Conrad successfully reduced the number of employees from 4100 to 2650, and instituted management efficiencies that resulted in an annual operating budget of $10 million less in 2005 than the budget of 1995.

 

During his tenure, Ohio BWC was recognized as one of the most cutting-edge insurance entities in North America. Under Conrad’s direction a nationally-recognized managed care program known as the Health Partnership Program was implemented and achieved medical cost decrease as medical inflation rose nationally. He stabilized premiums, eliminated a nearly $2 billion deficit and returned more than $10 billion in dividends and rebates to Ohio employers. In addition, Conrad led the development of an e-business initiative that set the standard in the industry and moved more than 96% of all claim fillings to an online process. His commitment to safety initiatives saw a 30% reduction in workplace injuries and his support of efforts to cut fraud paid back 8-fold the investment in staff, training and technology.

 

Conrad is also widely recognized for his leadership as Chief Administrative Officer and Executive Secretary of the City of Cleveland during its revival from its infamous default under the previous administration to its successful years and national media recognition as the “Comeback City.”

 

In addition to these posts that spanned more than two decades, Conrad served in the Ohio Governor’s Cabinet as director of the Ohio Department of Administrative Services, Ohio Department of Human Services and as Administrator of the Ohio Bureau of Employment Services.  On the Federal level, he served as the Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs for the U.S. Department of Labor.

 

Conrad has a Bachelor of Science degree from Miami University with majors in history, government and speech. He was a decorated officer rising to the rank of Captain during his seven years of service in the U.S. Army. His early private sector career was marked as a highly successful sales manager with National Homes Corporation.

 

Jim and his wife Karen live in the German Village neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio. They have a daughter and two grandchildren.