Title
Celebrating the life and honoring the memory of G. Fred DiBona, Jr.
Body
WHEREAS, G. Fred DiBona, Jr., a son of South Philadelphia who became President and CEO of Independence Blue Cross and a leading force among Philadelphia's business executives for more than three decades, died January 11th at the age of 53 after a courageous fight with cancer; and
WHEREAS, Born in South Philadelphia, G. Fred DiBona, Jr. was the son of legendary Common Pleas Court Judge, G. Fred DiBona, Sr. and the former Rose D'Amico. Following graduation from South Philadelphia High School and Davis and Elkins College, Mr. DiBona earned a law degree from the Delaware School of Law and immediately embarked on a career that, at every stop, left its mark; and
WHEREAS, Mr. DiBona's career in the business of the Philadelphia region was indeed remarkable. From untangling the stifling bureaucracy of the city's zoning board, to invigorating the local Chamber of Commerce, to transforming a struggling health insurance plan into one of the nation's leading managed care companies, G. Fred DiBona gained a national reputation as a decisive leader. During the fifteen years he led Independence Blue Cross, Fred DiBona guided the company through nothing less than a complete transformation. Under his leadership, Independence Blue Cross-the same company that had been hemorrhaging members by the thousands each month when he took over-increased its revenues from $1.3 billion to nearly $10 billion, and its membership from 2.1 million to nearly 3.5 million members at the close of 2004; and
WHEREAS, G. Fred DiBona often credited the 9,000 associates of IBC for making the company a success, and he had a special relationship with them. To them, he was simply "Fred." He greeted them on the elevator, traded opinions about the Eagles and asked about their families. Frequently during his illness, Mr. DiBona thanked the associates of IBC for their o...
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