Capital BlueCross Formalizes Leadership Team; Elects Lehr President And CEO
Drnevich also elected to executive role; former CEO Mead appointed ongoing advisor; Taylor elected first vice chair and lead independent director
October 29, 2008
HARRISBURG – The Board of Directors of Capital BlueCross on Friday formalized the company's ongoing leadership team.
Board Chairman William Lehr, Jr. was unanimously elected President and CEO. Mr. Lehr has been fulfilling chief executive responsibilities on an interim basis since the Sept. 15 resignation of former President and CEO Anita M. Smith.
"Bill Lehr is the ideal person to lead this company at this time," said Kathryn P. Taylor, who was unanimously elected Friday to be the Board's First Vice Chair and its Lead Independent Director. Taylor has been a member of the Capital BlueCross Board since 2002. "On behalf of the Board, I thank Bill for agreeing to serve in this ongoing role."
Mr. Lehr is the former Senior Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary of The Hershey Foods Corporation. He was first elected to the Capital BlueCross Board in 1988 and began his tenure as Chairman in 2004.
The Board also unanimously elected Board Member Ronald J. Drnevich to be the company's Senior Executive Vice President and Vice Chairman of the Board. And Mr. Lehr appointed current Board Member and Vice Chairman, James M. Mead, to serve as Special Advisor to the President and CEO.
Like Mr. Lehr, Mr. Drnevich and Mr. Mead have been serving in interim executive posts since Ms. Smith's resignation.
Mr. Drnevich is the former CEO and Chairman of Gannett Fleming, Inc., an international engineering services firm. He has been on the Capital BlueCross Board since 2006. Mr. Mead was the CEO of Capital BlueCross for 19 years. He has been a member of the Board since 1984 and has been a Vice Chair since 2004.
"Ron and Jim each are world-class CEOs, and I am fortunate to have them at my side," said Mr. Lehr. "Ron will serve as the company's lead executive in critical areas such as business development. And Jim will be a trusted adviser to us both."
Capital BlueCross, which offers its customers national resources from deep local roots, is the No. 1 health insurer in Central Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley, where it has been operating since the 1930s.
"This is a company with its foot on the gas pedal," said Mr. Lehr. "The Board and management are united in their enthusiastic focus on sustaining and growing Capital BlueCross' momentum, and helping our customers and members to navigate challenging economic times. These are the moments when leaders lead. This company is such a leader, and so that is what it will do."
About Capital BlueCross
Capital BlueCross is the leading health insurer in its market, providing health insurance coverage to nearly one million people in Central Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley. Capital BlueCross is committed to making health insurance simple, offering easy to use health care and personal service at competitive prices. The company has been serving its customers through all the stages of their life for almost 70 years and employs more than 2,300 people. Capital BlueCross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
