EAGAN, Minn., Jan. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross) board of trustees announced today that Kenneth Burdick has been named president and CEO of the organization, succeeding Patrick Geraghty, who left to join Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida. Burdick most recently served as Senior Vice President of Coventry Health Care, Inc. and was the CEO of their Medicaid and Behavioral Health businesses. Coventry serves more than 5 million members in all 50 states across a full range of products and services. Prior to his role at Coventry, Burdick served as Chief Executive Officer at Secure Horizons, UnitedHealth Group's Medicare company, and as President and Chief Executive of UnitedHealthcare's commercial business. Burdick has a diverse background, having held senior leadership positions in underwriting, operations, sales and client relationships, and marketing. Burdick has also held senior leadership positions at Travelers Companies and CIGNA Corporation.

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"We are very pleased to have Ken as our leader at this time in health care," said Vance Opperman, chair of the Blue Cross board. "He has a broad range of experience at leading companies, and a strong record of growing organizations. He is also a committed community leader, and is an advocate of early childhood learning and community giving. His unique combination of expertise, understanding of complex health care issues and experience at several large national health care companies make him the right leader for Blue Cross."

"I am looking forward to the challenge of leading Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. The organization has a strong tradition of excellence, but there is also a great opportunity to create new approaches and products for the changing market," said Burdick. "Minnesota is a great state, and I'm looking forward to working in this community and leading Blue Cross at a time of significant change in health care."

Burdick is a graduate of Amherst College, and has a J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law. Burdick will join the organization in mid-February.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, with headquarters in the St. Paul suburb of Eagan, was chartered in 1933 as Minnesota's first health plan and continues to carry out its charter mission today as a health company: to promote a wider, more economical and timely availability of health services for the people of Minnesota. Blue Cross is a not-for-profit, taxable organization. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, headquartered in Chicago. Go to www.bluecrossmn.com to learn more about Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota.

SOURCE Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota

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