than 10 years as the organization ’ s chief financial officer ( CFO ). Knight says his experience as CFO allowed him to become comfortable with spreadsheets and analyzing reports , which has helped prepare him for many of the new challenges he faces .
Aside from his work as a health care professional , Knight is a proud father of two girls and considers that to be his greatest accomplishment .
“ Just like so many other families in West Virginia , my wife and I strive to instill strong values and morals into our children ,” he says .
Knight says spending quality time with his family is important and is something he has been able to do through coaching his daughters ’ recreational sports teams and high school softball team . Aside from the memories he has made with his daughters , another benefit was getting to be a coach and mentor for other kids , while watching them develop athletically , intellectually and emotionally .
Knight is also a proud alumnus of Leadership West Virginia ’ s ( LWV ) Class of 2018 . LWV focuses on critical issues in West Virginia and opportunities for future growth .
“ Being a part of this program helped energize me to become a better leader while creating growth in West Virginia ,” he says .
Knight was born and raised in West Virginia and made the decision to live and work in the Mountain State to be close to his family .
“ In addition , West Virginia is a beautiful place to live with an affordable cost of living ,” he says .
Knight is appreciative of the great education he received at WVU and the opportunity it gave him to find employment in the state . In turn , he plans to continue the growth of The Health Plan .
“ I am hopeful that the jobs we create in West Virginia will give someone else a similar opportunity ,” he says . •
The Health Plan Scholarship
The Health Plan scholarship provides need-based funds to students pursuing a medical degree or nursing degree at West Virginia University or a medical degree at Marshall University who also intend to practice in the state of West Virginia after graduation . It is also available to Bachelor of Science in Nursing students .
The scholarship pays tuition and fees at the West Virginia in-state rate , as well as the school ’ s required laptop and support fee . For up to four years , the scholarship can be renewed as long as the student maintains satisfactory academic progress .
“ I ’ ve had the pleasure of working with The Health Plan ’ s scholarship program since its inception in 2009 . Students pursuing a medical degree at West Virginia University or Marshall University , as well as those pursuing a nursing degree at West Virginia University , are eligible to apply for the scholarship . To date , The Health Plan has granted over $ 3 million in scholarships to 59 medical and nursing students who intend to stay and practice in West Virginia . I am proud to work for a company that recognizes the need to keep good physicians and nurses here in our state ,” says The Health Plan President and CEO Jeff Knight .
Students applying for the scholarship must submit an application , resume or curriculum vitae and have a letter of interest explaining why they have chosen a career in health care and why they are committed to practicing in the state of West Virginia .
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