Jeff Ballard, CPA, CGMA, has formally taken on the role as Delta Dental of Tennessee’s new CEO, the company announced. Ballard joined Delta Dental in 2015 as chief financial officer and was elevated to president in 2022. He will now hold the title of president and CEO, a transition first announced in August 2023.
“I am honored to lead an organization that works every day to help improve the health of all Tennesseans,” said Ballard. “We have a terrific, experienced leadership team in place and a lot of exciting opportunities ahead, including the continued growth of vision and the launch of our new special health care need benefit this month. Delta Dental is also known for its leadership in philanthropy, and I look forward to continuing this tradition.”
Ballard will become Delta Dental’s fourth CEO since its founding in 1965. In his prior roles at Delta Dental, Ballard led the expansion of the company’s business offerings into vision insurance and has overseen accounting, finance, risk management, sales, and underwriting. Ballard was named CFO of the Year by the Nashville Business Journal (NBJ) in 2020. The following year, he was recognized as the Financial Officer of the Year in the 2021 NBJ Health Care Awards for leading Delta Dental’s effort to find a way to support dentists safely returning to work and providing essential preventive care. The resulting $2.7 million program was so successful that it was quickly adopted by Delta Dental plans in other states, including Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Wyoming.
Ballard is a native of Middle Tennessee and has worked in the region his entire career. He serves on the boards of directors of the Pinson Hospital Hospitality House, Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation, and the TransPerfect Music City Bowl. He is also a member of the Middle Tennessee State University Accounting Advisory Board, Tennessee Business Roundtable, and Nashville Rotary.
Ballard earned his bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Middle Tennessee State University and was recognized by MTSU’s Jones College of Business with its Spirit of America Award in 2022 for accomplishments in business, government, education, and charitable endeavors.
For more information about Delta Dental of Tennessee, please visit DeltaDentalTN.com.
About Delta Dental of Tennessee
Delta Dental of Tennessee is the state’s largest independent dental benefits carrier with 1.4 million lives covered. As part of the Delta Dental Plans Association, Delta Dental of Tennessee members have access to the largest dental network in the nation, with more than 154,000 providers serving more than 443,000 locations. With the simple mission of ensuring healthy smiles, Delta Dental of Tennessee works hard to help members of the communities it serves. Along with its corporate foundation, Smile180, Delta Dental of Tennessee donated more than $5.4 million in funding and in-kind services to over 110 organizations in 2022.
