Melissa McLaughlin Appointed to FedPoint's New Chief Human Resources Officer Role

Portsmouth, NH (December 2, 2023)—Federal insurance and benefits administrator FedPoint^® announces the promotion of Director of Human Resources Melissa McLaughlin to a newly created chief human resources officer (CHRO).

As CHRO, McLaughlin will expand upon her current duties, with a focus on continuing to evolve FedPoint's work ecosystem into a technologically sophisticated, secure, and decentralized hybrid 21st century workplace responsive to the changing needs of the individual employee’s life cycle.

McLaughlin—a certified senior professional in human resources—has been with FedPoint since the company opened its doors in 2002. Prior to joining FedPoint, she served as human resources director for two regional staff model HMOs, one of which provided patient care and insurance services for a large U.S. Department of Defense contract.

"We are fortunate to have someone with Melissa's background and institutional knowledge to oversee and lead our human resource function," said FedPoint CEO Paul Forte. "Melissa's deep understanding and breadth of experience in areas that impact a person’s employment journey have long sustained our company’s ability to manage key services and functions, to respond to emerging workplace needs, and to compete effectively in the dynamic benefits administration marketplace."

As a result of repeated contract renewals and enrollment growth in the benefits programs it administers for the federal government, FedPoint's staff has grown to nearly 430 full-time employees over the past two decades.

"I'm excited to continue meeting the challenge of attracting new talent in support of our mission, which is to deliver extraordinary service to our federal and military customers," McLaughlin said. "To do so—and to retain that talent—requires maintaining a high-performance culture that engages employees and develops effective leaders. In the post-COVID workplace, employers like FedPoint have to find that optimal balance between providing appealing in-person facilities that enhance the employee experience and ensure continuity of culture, while at the same time offering options for remote work that allow for expanded job applicant pools in a tight labor market. We must all align with modern employee expectations about convenience and ability to maintain a healthy work-life balance."

In December, FedPoint renewed its lease at 100 Arboretum Drive with building owner Farley White for seven years. The company is currently reconfiguring its workspace to reflect its hybrid work model, adding conference rooms and common spaces to enhance productivity and encourage collaboration.

FedPoint also filled a new chief information officer role, giving the nod to Michael Crones, formerly of aPriori Technologies, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, and Draper Laboratory. This position was created to ensure that FedPoint remains competitive in information technology, and ready to make the steep climb the federal government is expecting of its contractors in this important area.

"These new leadership roles complement FedPoint's growth and increased reach across the federal and military benefits landscape over the last two decades," said Forte. "They reflect our recognition that our greatest asset is our people, whose technical expertise, creativity, sense of purpose, commitment, initiative and institutional knowledge are at the heart of our reputation as a reliable and trusted partner throughout the federal benefits landscape."