MADISON, Wis.—May 19, 2017—Vicki Bernards has been selected as the next Chief Financial Officer of WPS Health Solutions. She will succeed Tom Nelson, who is retiring on June 30, concluding a 35-year career at WPS. She began duties at WPS on May 8.
Bernards most recently was Vice President of Financial Analysis and Strategic Planning at Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) in Madison. She led the strategic planning, budget, and quarterly forecast process for TDS, and assisted in creating strategic plans for its business units. She also was responsible for financial analyses of business cases and potential acquisitions. Previously at TDS, she held positions in business development and analysis, and internal auditing.
Earlier in her career, Bernards was a real estate financial analyst for Famous Footwear/Brown Shoe Company in Madison and an internal auditor for the Carlson Companies in Minneapolis.
“Vicki brings strong planning and analytical skills to WPS to help with the financial aspects of our strategic planning and analysis,” President and CEO Mike Hamerlik said. “She will build on the strong financial program that Tom Nelson developed for WPS.”
Bernards earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from UW-Madison. She is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Corporate Financial Planning and Analysis Professional, and a Certified Internal Auditor.
