Kaiser names president of Ga. health plan

Kaiser Permanente announced Wednesday that Kerry Kohnen has been named president of the organization’s Georgia health plan.

Kohnen has been with Kaiser since 1975 and recently served as senior vice president of operations for Kaiser Permanente Georgia. He replaces Peter Andruszkiewicz, who left Kaiser in April to take the CEO job with Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island.

Kohnen will oversee a nonprofit health plan that serves 240,000 members through 28 medical facilities in the metro Atlanta region.

The California-based organization recently has built up its presence in the Atlanta area by adding 11 new medical clinics in a little more than a year.

Bernard J. Tyson, president and chief operating officer of Kaiser Permanente, said in a statement, “I am confident in the appointment of Kerry as president of our Georgia region. In partnership with Executive Medical Director Rob Schreiner, they will be able to fully realize the potential of Kaiser Permanente in Georgia.”

Kohnen will report to Donna Lynne, Kaiser Permanente group president, who oversees the Colorado, Georgia, Northwest and Ohio regions.

“I am honored to accept this new role,’’ Kohnen said in a statement. “I believe we have the right strategy in place to bring Kaiser Permanente’s integrated delivery system to more members in the metro Atlanta area. I look forward to working with the team in place to make this a reality.”