Gregory E. Deavens, CPA, CGMA, president and chief govt officer of Independence Well being Group.
Drexel College’s LeBow College of Business has named Gregory E. Deavens, CPA, CGMA, president and chief govt officer of Independence Well being Group, as its 2024 Enterprise Chief of the Yr.
Deavens is president and chief govt officer for Independence Well being Group (Independence), mother or father of Independence Blue Cross, one of many nation’s main well being insurers. Beneath his management, Independence has been dedicated to advancing equitable, whole-person well being care. This consists of an emphasis on decreasing racial and financial well being inequities and integrating bodily and behavioral well being care. The group additionally has centered on partnerships devoted to decreasing the price of drugs for the advantage of members and employer prospects.
“Since taking the reins at Independence Blue Cross, Greg has been a trusted accomplice to so many organizations within the Larger Philadelphia area,” mentioned Drexel President John Fry. “He has disrupted the longstanding state of well being care, confronted well being fairness points and is targeted on making well being care accessible to all. I’ve witnessed this dedication first-hand by his efforts in serving to to maintain St. Christopher’s Hospital for Youngsters as not solely a premier instructing hospital for medical college students, residents, and nurses, but in addition a civic treasure for Philadelphia. For his management in selling inclusion and fairness in well being care and in transferring our area ahead, I’m proud to honor Greg with our Enterprise Chief of the Yr award.”
The recipient of quite a few awards and honors, Deavens has been named to Savoy journal’s Most Influential Black Executives in Company America, Philadelphia journal’s Most Influential Individuals in Philadelphia, and Fashionable Healthcare’s 100 Most Influential Individuals in Healthcare, amongst different honors.
He’s Chair-elect of the Chamber of Commerce for Larger Philadelphia’s board of administrators and serves on quite a few different boards, together with Alegeus Applied sciences, America’s Well being Insurance coverage Plans, BCS Monetary Company, the Blue Cross Blue Defend Affiliation, Hartford HealthCare, Nationwide Institute for Well being Care Administration, and Quartet Well being. He is also on the advisory board for PNC Financial institution (Philadelphia Area). As well as, Deavens serves as trustee of the Barnes Basis, on the board of administrators of the African American Museum in Philadelphia, and as an honorary trustee of the Amistad Heart for Artwork & Tradition. He additionally served on the transition management board of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.
Deavens will obtain the award on April 3 at a ceremonial occasion held in his honor. Proceeds from the occasion will fund scholarships and help educational applications inside LeBow School.
Established in 1954 by enterprise scholar George Ross ’55, Hon. ’99, who years later as an funding banker grew to become the thirty fifth annual honoree, the Business Leader of the Year is probably the most prestigious honors within the Larger Philadelphia area. Previous recipients embrace H. F. “Gerry” Lenfest, Philadelphia entrepreneur, newspaper writer and philanthropist; Denis O’Brien, former president and CEO of PECO and govt vp of Exelon; David L. Cohen, former govt vp of Comcast Company; Eileen McDonnell, former chairman and CEO of Penn Mutual; and Judith M. von Seldeneck, founder and chair of the Diversified Search Group.
For extra info, go to: www.lebow.drexel.edu/about/alumni-and-engagement/business-leader-year.
