PRESIDENT ’ S VIEW
PRESIDENT ’ S VIEW
Felician President , Delta Dental VP Join CIANJ Board of Directors
By Anthony Russo President , CIANJ
CIANJ is fortunate to have a strong board of directors upon which to rely . Our directors come from every industry , reflecting the diversity of our membership . Many of them have served for a decade of more , providing advice and insights .
We are always pleased to introduce new members of our board . This month we welcome Mildred Mihlon , PhD , the acting president of Felician University , and Barry Petruzzi , vice president of underwriting and actuarial at Delta Dental of New Jersey . Dr . Mihlon ’ s appointment continues the close relationship CIANJ has long held with the university . Many of the university ’ s board , including its chair , James R . D ’ Agostino Jr , have been active and very supportive CIANJ members . Mr . Petruzzi succeeds the late Jeffrey J . Furbish Sr . Mr . Furbish was a diligent member of the CIANJ board , who is deeply missed . He was the chief sales and officer and vice president of Delta Dental in New Jersey and Connecticut when he died a few months ago .
Dr . Mihlon was named to the president ’ s office in April . She has nearly 25 years of higher education leadership experience , having previously served as at predominately Hispanic and Minority-serving , Catholic institutions with missions focused on service , justice , and compassion . Her background well prepared her to carry out Felician University ’ s mission and the Felician Franciscan core values that are the foundation of university life and learning .
Before she was named acting president , Dr . Mihlon was Dean for the School of Arts & Sciences with oversight of nearly 50 full-time faculty members and 15-degree programs . Dr . Mihlon joined the Felician University community in September 2020 amidst the global pandemic . In a relatively short time , she and her team made significant contributions to the university . Bringing a clear and articulated vision and energy to the School of Arts & Sciences , Dr . Mihlon secured the most substantial Department of Education grant in university history . The $ 4.5 million FIESTA grant award has supported faculty development , and new and continuing transfer enrollment , and funded the construction of science labs , teaching spaces , and
Mildred Mihlon , PhD , the acting president of Felician University
a STEM resource center with modernized technology . The FIESTA initiative has already begun to impact student success and improve the overall quality of STEM education at Felician . Under her leadership , the faculty in the School of Arts & Sciences are engaged in strategic curricular change , accelerating graduate and adult learner initiatives , and added the Occupational Therapy Assistant ( OTA ) and Doctor of Psychology ( PsyD ) programs , which have both received full accreditation from the state .
Prior to Felician , Dr . Mihlon was at Saint Peter ’ s University in Jersey City where she served as the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs & Assessment . Her extensive portfolio there included managerial and fiscal oversight of student learning and enrollment management outcomes , student retention and graduation initiatives , and numerous student support areas including global learning , study abroad , international student services and the school for adult and continuing education , among other initiatives . Dr . Mihlon received her PhD from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York in Educational Psychology with a concentration in learning , development , and instruction .
Barry Petruzzi , Vice President of Underwriting and Actuarial Services , Delta Dental
Mr . Petruzzi joined Delta Dental of New Jersey in May 2019 as Vice President of Underwriting and Actuarial Services . He is responsible for developing and maintaining Delta Dental ’ s pricing structures and underwriting guidelines . He is also responsible for determining the company ’ s reserve liabilities and leads the development of DDNJ ’ s financial projections .
In his role , Mr . Petruzzi provides strategic perspectives on actuarial and underwriting matters and is a member of DDNJ ’ s Executive Leadership Team . Prior to joining Delta Dental , he was Vice President and Chief Group Actuary for Prudential Financial . Barry has more than 30 years of experience in the Group Benefits marketplace , having held senior leadership positions at The Hartford and Guardian Life Insurance Company of America over the course of his career . The new CIANJ director is active within the actuarial industry , and is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries , a member of the American Academy of Actuaries , and a frequent speaker at meetings hosted by the Society of Actuaries and Group Underwriters Association of America . He holds a bachelor ’ s degree in Mathematics from Penn State University .
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