New finance director at state Medicaid office

The state Medicaid office has a new finance director, one of three major jobs filled recently as the state Department of Health and Human Services moves forward with the Medicaid office administrative “realignment.”

Trey Sutten, 38, started Monday as director of finance. He’s been working at DHHS as acting Medicaid budget director since March as a member of the team of Alvarez & Marsal consultants running the finance office. Now a state employee, Sutten will make $175,000 a year. Dr. Robin Cummings, state Medicaid director, said in a staff memo that Sutten has more than 14 years experience “improving financial and operational performance in the health care field and public sector working for PricewaterhouseCoopers, PA Consulting Group, Fannie Mae, and Alvarez & Marsal.”

Rudy Dimmling of Alvarez & Marsal has been acting finance director. DHHS said Dimmling “will provide assistance in the transition and support during the month of January when the new managers in the finance unit are scheduled to start.”

Sandy Terrell, 57, who was acting Medicaid director before Cummings was appointed in April and was chief operating officer for most of the year, was named director of clinical policy. Terrell’s salary will remain $126,000 a year.

Steve Tedder, 58, is director of business information. Tedder has experience working for the state, according to the hiring announcement, including as a project management adviser to the state Information Technology Services “providing management oversight and risk assessment for large projects including NCTracks.” Tedder, who makes $160,000 a year, will oversee development and implementation of the Medicaid office information strategy.

This story was originally published December 16, 2014 at 7:09 PM with the headline "New finance director at state Medicaid office."