2023 Empire Whole Health Heroes Awards

Presenting Empire BlueCross BlueShield’s 2023 Whole Health Heroes

[from Crain's New York press release: https://www.crainsnewyork.com/empire2023]

Since 2020, Empire BlueCross BlueShield has been honoring leaders in New York and the metropolitan region who exemplify public service and professional devotion as they work to improve the financial, physical and mental health of their communities and workplaces.

This year’s 25 honorees come from varied backgrounds in both the public and private sectors, reflecting prodigious professional accomplishments and a dedication to making a real difference in people’s wellbeing. They are being honored for their work in four categories: innovating a drug, medical treatment or new procedure relating to asthma, cancer, diabetes or heart health and making a difference in the screening, prevention and/or management of these diseases; establishing or implementing employee wellness strategies within their workplace to promote mental and overall health; advancing financial health within their community, or for the benefit of New York’s underserved communities; and improving social health, by using their influence in their own organization and the broader community.

A luncheon to celebrate this year’s Whole Health Heroes honorees will take place on Nov. 28 at Manhattan Penthouse. Frederick P. Gabriel, Publisher and Executive Editor of Crain’s New York Business and Victor DeStefano, President of Empire BlueCross BlueShield and Empire BlueCross, will participate in the event.

The awards, now in their fourth year, were first established during the Covid-19 pandemic to honor leaders in the community who responded to the health crisis with courage and resourcefulness, and to emphasize Empire’s commitment to improving the whole health of its members and the community at large. The event has evolved over the past four years into an annual ceremony that highlights the remarkable accomplishments of business, nonprofit and medical professionals in advancing the health of their communities.

Enhancing and reinforcing its commitment to whole health, Empire BlueCross BlueShield will change its name to Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield on Jan. 1. “Our New York presence is not changing,” said Victor DeStefano, president of New York Commercial Business for Empire. “As we take on the Anthem name, it represents our continued journey to materially improve the health of our members and our communities.”

Empire joined the Anthem family of health plans in 2006 but continued to use the Empire name. As Empire’s commercial, Medicaid and Medicare health plan transition to the Anthem name, the company is well prepared to ensure it is business as usual for their valued customers, partners and members, DeStefano added.

Here are the 25 honorees of this year’s Empire Whole Health Heroes.