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Sassi, formerly president of Blue Cross of California, replaces JoanHerman, who announced her plans last year to retire in 2008. Sassi will begintransitioning into his new role immediately and assume full responsibility onFebruary 1.
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"Brian Sassi has a 25-year career in the health insurance industry and animpressive record of accomplishments in our company," said Angela F. Braly,president and chief executive officer of WellPoint, Inc. "His strongcombination of market knowledge, operational experience and industryleadership will help ensure continued growth of our Consumer Business Unit,which has been and will continue to be critical to WellPoint's success."
Since joining Blue Cross of California in 1989, Sassi has held a number ofleadership roles, including vice president of operations and strategicinitiatives, general manager of small group accounts, and general manager oflarge group accounts. Prior to joining Blue Cross of California, Sassi held anumber of industry management positions.
Separately, the company announced that Leslie Margolin will becomepresident and general manager of Blue Cross of California. Margolin will beresponsible for health plan management including product and serviceinnovation, underwriting and sales, as well as client and broker relations forboth small and large group health coverage. In this role, Margolin is alsoresponsible for the development of Blue Cross of California's long-termstrategic direction and collaborating with local and state elected officialsto improve the health of Californians. She will join the company on February11.
"Blue Cross of California, the state's oldest and largest health plan, hasbeen committed to ensuring the highest quality and most affordable care forCalifornians for more than 70 years," said Braly. "Leslie Margolin, anextremely respected industry leader in California, will work diligently toimprove health, manage costs, introduce innovative products, and deliverworld-class, distinctive service to our customers and members throughout thestate."
Margolin has more than 20 years of health care experience, includingsenior strategic and operational roles at Kaiser Permanente and CIGNA.Margolin previously served as senior vice president for health plan andhospital operations for Kaiser Permanente's integrated delivery systems and asthe management lead of its Labor Management Partnership. Prior to her work atKaiser Permanente, Margolin served as president of CIGNA HealthCare ofCalifornia and general manager of CIGNA's Southern California health careoperations, and for 10 years was a member of CIGNA's in-house legaldepartment.
About WellPoint, Inc.
WellPoint's mission is to improve the lives of the people it serves andthe health of its communities. WellPoint, Inc. is the largest health benefitscompany in terms of commercial membership in the United States. Through itsnationwide networks, the company delivers a number of leading health benefitsolutions through a broad portfolio of integrated health care plans andrelated services, along with a wide range of specialty products such as lifeand disability insurance benefits, pharmacy benefit management, dental,vision, behavioral health benefit services, as well as long term careinsurance and flexible spending accounts. Headquartered in Indianapolis,Indiana, WellPoint is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and BlueShield Association and serves its members as the Blue Cross licensee forCalifornia; the Blue Cross and Blue Shield licensee for Colorado, Connecticut,Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri (excluding 30 counties in
