Daniel J. Loepp

President and Chief Executive Officer
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan

Daniel J. Loepp is President and Chief Executive Officer of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. He has held this position since mid-2006, succeeding retired CEO Richard E. Whitmer who led the company for 18 years.

Previously, Loepp was Executive Vice President and CEO Designate, a position he held beginning in July 2005. Prior to that, Loepp was the Blues' Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff, leading Governmental Affairs, Corporate Communications, Coalition Activities, Product Development, Center for Health Care Quality, Gallup Integration, Social Mission, and Strategic Planning & Analysis.

Loepp joined the Blues in 2000, first serving as the corporation's Vice President of Governmental Affairs. He led a two-year statewide campaign by the Blues and 143 business chambers and associations to gain regulatory reform for Michigan's small group health insurance market. The effort included successfully fending off the conversion of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan to a for-profit corporation, and spurring reform that has substantially stabilized health insurance rates for Michigan small businesses.

As a Senior Vice President and as CEO Designate, Loepp oversaw a marked expansion of the Blues' product lineup. In a new partnership between private industry and the U.S. government, BCBSM now offers stand-alone prescription drug benefit plans as well as Medicare Advantage plans that provide comprehensive medical/surgical coverage featuring prescription drug benefits. In addition, the Blues have rolled out a new low-premium, high-deductible product compatible with health savings accounts, marking the Blues' entry into consumer-driven health care.

Loepp has an extensive background in government, having served as Chief of Staff for Michigan Speaker of the House Curtis Hertel, Director of Communication for Michigan Attorney General Frank Kelley, and as a staff member for U.S. Congressman Dennis Hertel. He also served as the CEO of the Service Station Dealers Association of Michigan from 1987 to 1992.

Loepp authored a book, Sharing the Balance of Power – An Examination of Shared Power in the Michigan House of Representatives, 1993-94, published in 1999 by The University of Michigan Press. In the book, Loepp chronicled the 87th Michigan Legislature, which successfully shared power between Republicans and Democrats from 1993 through 1994. Written from Loepp's experience as Speaker Hertel's Chief of Staff and his extensive interviews with key Michigan political figures, Sharing the Balance of Power provides an insider account of the struggle and bipartisan cooperation between the two political parties during those years.

Loepp is a member of the Board of Directors for the Greater Detroit Chamber of Commerce, and will serve as Chairman of the chamber's 2007 Mackinac Policy Conference. He also serves on the boards of directors for Council for Affordable Healthcare, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, Detroit Renaissance, New Detroit and The Parade Company. Loepp also sits on the boards of directors of two Michigan Blues subsidiaries: the Accident Fund Insurance Company of America and Blue Care Network of Michigan.

He also is a member of the Board of Directors for the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, and serves on the BCBSA's Plans Holding Corporation Board, Health Policy and Legislative Committee, Emerging Issues Board and Administrative Committee.

Loepp was born in Detroit on July 1, 1957 and raised in northeast Detroit. He received a bachelor's degree in communication in 1982, and a master's degree in political communication in 1986, both from Wayne State University.

He is married to Renee Farhat and has three children: Danielle, Michael and Patrick.