Independence Blue Cross (Independence) announced that Sushma Akunuru has been appointed vice president of Business Applications.

In this new role, Akunuru will bring strategic leadership to all elements of application development, maintenance, and engineering for Independence and its subsidiaries and help deliver solutions that meet emerging market demands. Akunuru reports to Mike Vennera, chief information officer at Independence.

Akunuru joins Independence after more than ten years with Bank of America–Merrill Lynch, where she most recently served as senior vice president of Investment Management and Consumer Banking.

Akunuru received her MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. She received a master’s degree in computer applications from Osmania University in Hyderabad, India.

About Independence Blue Cross 

Independence Blue Cross is the leading health insurance organization in southeastern Pennsylvania. With our affiliates, we serve more than 8.5 million people in 24 states and the District of Columbia, including more than 2.5 million in the region. For almost 80 years, we have been enhancing the health and well-being of the people and communities we serve by delivering innovative and competitively priced health care products and services; pioneering new ways to reward doctors, hospitals, and other health care professionals for coordinated, quality care; and supporting programs and events that promote wellness. To learn more, visit www.ibx.com. Connect with us on Facebook and on Twitter. Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.