October 20, 2008

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota has named Patrick Geraghty president and CEO, to succeed Mark W. Banks, M.D., the organization's current CEO. Geraghty will join Blue Cross this month. He most recently served as Senior Vice President of the Service Division of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, a health plan with 3.6 million members. He has also held several senior leadership positions with Prudential Insurance Company. +

Ed Hannum, a 21-year veteran of AvMed Health Plans has been named AvMed's new president and COO. Hannum's promotion was made by Mike Gallagher, AvMed's CEO and president and CEO of SantaFe HealthCare, AvMed's parent company. Since January, Hannum has served as the acting COO of AvMed. +

Disease management company Healthways Inc. has named Steve Brueckner as company president. Bruekner, a veteran at Humana Inc., takes over the title from CEO Ben Leedle Jr. He will also serve as the company's COO. "By having a proven executive of Steve's caliber focus undivided attention on the disciplined execution of the day-to-day management of our business, I will be able to be engaged more fully in driving Healthways growth globally through our three central initiatives," says Leedle, who also warns of possible layoffs before the year is over. +