When Gregory E. Deavens takes leadership of Independence Health Group, he will bring his passion for ensuring that people have access to care to the forefront.
Deavens, 59, will be the first African-American president and CEO of the region’s largest health insurer. He will succeed civic leader Daniel J. Hilferty, who retires effective Dec. 31.
Deavens, who joined Independence as chief financial officer and treasurer in 2017, directs all financial functions for the company and its subsidiaries. In July, he was appointed board chairman of Hartford Healthcare, a large health system based in Connecticut.
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“I would say that my passion for making sure that people have access to care is really at the core of the work that I do in my day job and also the work that I do on that board,” Deavens said during a Tribune interview.
“Certainly I’ve seen firsthand some of the challenges that people face in interacting with the health care system and I believe that we can continue to make it better and make it better for everyone.”
Deavens starts his new role with Independence on Jan. 1. He said the company will continue to work on addressing racial disparities and expanding access to mental health care.
“We’re really focused on continuing to drive better access and better affordability of care and that I think is really going to be at the forefront,” Deavens said.
“We believe as an organization that there is a need for us to provide access to mental health [care] and also to really make sure that mental health and physical health are better integrated so that you are really treating the whole person and not just dealing with singular issues that individuals have,” he said.
“We fundamentally believe that there is going to be a benefit to our members, physicians and other providers if we can get the whole health care ecosystem working together better to integrate physical and mental health.”
Prior to joining Independence, Deavens was with Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) from 2006 to 2016, where he served as senior vice president and corporate controller. He has held leadership roles with New York Life, CIGNA and GE Capital.
Hilferty said that Deavens is the right person to lead the company into the future. He takes over as Independence has experienced significant growth in revenue and size under Hilferty’s leadership. The company serves more than 8 million members nationwide.
“Since joining us, he has demonstrated the broad leadership skills needed to be CEO,” Hilferty said. “Greg has a comprehensive knowledge of the organization from a strategic operational and financial sense.
“The board and I have confidence that he is the right leader based on his commitment to our members’ health and well-being, as well as the strong financial and business results he has achieved,” he said.
“That is why I recommended Greg for the position and the board unanimously and wholeheartedly endorsed Greg to be next president and CEO of Independence Blue Cross.”
Steven Scott Bradley, chairman of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, said the organization is excited about Deavens’ appointment as Independence’s next president.
“He has some big shoes to fill but I am very confident that he is going to make a smooth transition,” Bradley said.
“He’s well qualified. It’s not somebody who is stepping in and learning the trade. He has an extensive corporate background. The bar with Dan is high, but I am sure he is up to the challenge.”
“I think this is a great move and it’s a challenge to other corporations both in the region and nationally,” Bradley said in reference to the company’s decision to appoint an African American to its top position.
Deavens is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
He also serves on the boards of the African American Museum in Philadelphia and the Executive Leadership Council, an organization seeking to increase the number of Black executives in C-suites and on corporate boards.
Crystal E. Ashby, interim president and CEO of the Executive Leadership Council, said the organization is proud of Deavens’ achievement.
“We are fortunate to have Greg, as is Independence Health Group, and we congratulate them on this exceptional choice for the future leadership of their company,” she said in a statement.
“This is a tremendous recognition of Greg’s talent, expertise and wisdom and we are not surprised by his appointment. We look forward to other companies following Independence Health Group’s lead in recognizing that there is no shortage of Black talent for CEO and executive leadership positions.”
Deavens is a native of New Orleans and grew up in St. Louis. He has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the Florida A&M University School of Business and Industry. He and his wife, Beverly, have three grown children.