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What is the biggest issue currently facing your industry?
Executive Q&A

by South Jersey Biz - Editorial Staff

Last month, we launched a new section designed to give you insight into what’s going on across a range of sectors by asking three local executives to answer a pertinent business question from the viewpoint of their respective industries. Their replies provide a snapshot of the current business landscape in our area.

What is the biggest issue currently facing your industry?

Stagnation. Higher education faces severe challenges—resources, enrollment and affordability. A college degree is crucial for career success so colleges must meet the needs of students and employers.

Very few colleges in the nation are growing like Rowan College at Burlington County. Our 3+1 program allows students to complete a degree in an in-demand field for less than what most colleges charge for one year. We have partnerships with leading employers to align our offerings with industry needs.

The number of students in high school continues to decrease, so we must continue to innovate and find new ways to grow.
--Michael Cioce 
acting president, Rowan College at Burlington County

Short-term, it’s meeting the changing technology expectations of our policyholders. We’ve been highly focused on enhancing digital technology over the past few years to ensure that we can interact with our policyholders through the channels of their choosing. Longer term, the development of self-driving, safer cars likely will significantly improve quality of life and transform our industry. Our challenge—and opportunity—will be to develop innovative products and services to assist our policyholders through this change and into the future.
--Bernie Flynn
CEO, New Jersey Manufacturers

As we approach the fifth year of open enrollment under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the national debate on health care reform continues to evolve. As an industry we are facing regulatory uncertainty around the ACA, including key provisions like funding for costsharing reductions that provide financial assistance to working- and middle-class families as well as enforcement of the individual mandate.

While we continue to navigate these complexities, one thing is certain—the past several years have served as a catalyst for change and the progress that has stemmed from these changes has led to better overall engagement with our members.
--Mike Munoz 
market president, AmeriHealth New Jersey

Published (and copyrighted) in South Jersey Biz, Volume 7, Issue 9 (September, 2017). 

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