A passion for serving, from the military to colleagues and the community

Patrick Casten has stared down many challenges in his life, from growing up from humble beginnings to leading soldiers in Afghanistan, but he has yet to meet a problem he couldn’t tackle himself or alongside his team. He’s no stranger to adversity and embodies the ethics of strong teamwork and culture. 

The Maine native thrives in his role as Regional Vice President—North and loves both the collaborative culture and his work helping employers meet the needs of their workforce through health benefits, sometimes at critical moments in their lives. In his role, he takes advantage of his extroverted personality and draws from his commitment to servant leadership, which drives him to give back to his community and his colleagues. And when the path ahead may not seem clear, he defers to a lesson he learned as an infantry officer and keeps in mind that challenges can always be overcome. 

Interested in working for a company that not only supports veterans, but actively works to hire them? Learn more about how we support members of the military and veterans and browse open jobs at Careers.Humana.com.

If you would like to learn more about Humana's employer group benefits or discuss customized coverage that meets your business needs, connect with Patrick on LinkedIn.

What inspired you to join the Army? 
Casten: When I was a college student at Lake Forest College outside of Chicago, I had a chance to fundraise to build a memorial for veterans on campus. I met and saw so much pride among veterans who served three or four years and then went on to live a civilian life. I felt like there was something calling me to do that kind of work. I also grew up around the military. My mother’s common-law husband was a career Marine and a huge influence on my decision to serve. I joined straight out of college. 

I use a lot of the lessons I learned from the military in my career. When pressure is building or tasks seem daunting, my time overseas has taught me to defer to process — What do we need to do to be successful? That’s helped me to focus and push through any challenge. 

The most important part of being an officer in the military is servant leadership. Never ask your team to do something you wouldn’t do, haven’t done, or wouldn’t be able to do. Now, when I put things in the perspective of what soldiers must do every day in dire situations, it makes my current situation feel less dire and more achievable. Bottom line: It takes a lot to make me nervous. 

Your love for service and people really seems to be a key driver in your career. What is the most rewarding part of your profession? 
Casten: Helping members of my team achieve their career goals and finding ways to help them win when they might have been led to believe they couldn’t succeed. The best coaching I’ve been able to share with my team is “do more on your own, without checking in with me”. I want my team to be empowered to push their own limits without having to stop and ask for approval. They should get comfortable with their own craft, and know I trust and believe in what they’re doing and their proficiency. If the team is confident that I’m comfortable with their abilities, they’ll feel empowered to go out and do more. 

Many people have limited knowledge or preconceived notions about dental and vision health insurance. What is something you wish people knew about it? 
Casten: Oral health has such a direct link to your overall health, and providing those benefits can really make a difference in employee retention and well-being. What dental and vision both can do is help you understand other key indicators of your health. Employers that don’t provide quality dental and vision benefits run the risk of losing their employees — whether because they seek a place of business that offers those benefits, or because of illnesses that could have been prevented or caught earlier. One example is diabetes, which is a diagnosis you need to have as soon as possible to manage. Understanding there’s such a tie to your overall health speaks to the value of providing those benefits. We want people to understand that dental and vision exams serve a real purpose in your holistic health. 

What is something you wish you knew at the start of your career that you know now? 
Casten: It’s kind of simple. Do things right the first time, even if it takes longer. There’s no harm in having a second set of eyes before you make a decision or send an email. We often want to speed to market for everything, but what I’ve learned over the years is that there is a lot of value in slowing down. I’ve also found there’s a lot of utility, and even operational efficiency, to be found in collaboration. I’ve never regretted having somebody give me a second opinion or set of eyes. 

What pressing concerns, other than COVID-19, do you see affecting the health care industry this year? 
Casten: I’m concerned by the volatility in state regulations with respect to health care and ancillary benefits, and being able to provide a consistent product and service in all the states we operate in. There’s a lot going on in the state-mandated disability space, which provides some good benefits. But the variance among the states makes things challenging for providers, members and carriers. 

In your current position, how have you been able to give back to the communities you oversee for Humana? 
Casten: Humana’s National Veteran Bold Goal, as a veteran myself, is near and dear to my heart. That program aims to serve veterans by addressing their social needs, which so often impact their overall health, and bridge the gap for these families to improve their health and wellness. Veterans are less than half of 1% of the population, so we’re an easy group to ignore, and a lot of us don’t get a lot of support. The advocacy Humana provides is unique, and it’s an underrated form of service. Internally, I’m also on Humana’s Inclusion and Diversity Council, which ensures that Humana is a company where everybody has a chance to grow and succeed. 

You talk a lot about the importance of service in your profession. What do you do in your personal time to give back? 
Casten: Using sports to increase opportunities for kids in underprivileged communities is something that’s a passion of mine, because I grew up in a poor environment. Sports were a way I was able to navigate through that. I was a wrestler from sixth grade through high school, was a Maine state championship wrestler and got into officiating because I didn’t have time to coach. I was asked to officiate a girls’ wrestling tournament, and people were so appreciative of the officials. At the time, there was no funding for a championship, so I offered to fund it for the first five years. I was involved in creating, executing and running the Maine girls’ high school state championship wrestling tournament, one of the first east of the Mississippi. I’ve consulted for other states to do similar tournaments. 

What are you passionate about? 
Casten: The biggest thing for me is family. I have two brothers and, having traveled a lot and played college football, I have an extended family of close friends. I have a lot of uncles and aunts who aren’t really related, but they’re family. I’m also passionate about my community. I served my country because I believe in leaving the world a better place than you found it.