Name: Claudia Schmidt
Age: 50
Position: Director of business development, Kaiser Permanente
First job: Church office clerk
Hobbies: Reading, walking

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Schmidt leads Kaiser's marketing effort

Claudia Schmidt is responsible for sales and marketing and product development and pricing at Kaiser Permanente.

"I have a background as a generalist and I came to Kaiser because they are doing a lot of new things," Schmidt said.

She cited the "Added Choice" program that allows members to go outside the Kaiser system for special needs. Also, Kaiser is expanding its clinics and recently opened a clinic at Keehi, Maui.

She has 30 years of experience in marketing and product development, and most recently was senior vice president of marketing services for Starr Seigle McCombs.

Schmidt also worked for David Cheever Marketing and Peat Marwick & Mitchell in marketing. She earned a master's degree in business administration from the University of Hawaii's executive MBA program.

Kaiser Permanente has 210,000 members statewide.

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By Jerry Tune, Star-Bulletin