BLUES NEWS: Moon Resigns as Chair and CEO of Blue Shield

      Chair and CEO of Blue Shield of California Wayne Moon announced his retirement -- effective January 1, 2000 -- at Thursday's board of directors meeting. The board elected Bruce Bodaken, the current president and chief operating officer, to succeed Moon. The board praised Moon's contributions, including the creation of Access+ HMO and mylifepath.com under his helm. Bodaken said, "Thanks in great part to Wayne's tremendous leadership and vision over the past six years, Blue Shield finds itself extremely well-positioned to meet those challenges and truly make a difference in how health care is delivered and financed in California." Bodaken, a 19-year healthcare industry veteran, has been with Blue Shield since 1994. He currently is serving his second year as Board chair of the California Association of Health Plans and is the director of the Integrated Healthcare Association. Moon said, "I am delighted that the board has elected Bruce as the new chairman and CEO. He has been essential to all of the success we have enjoyed at Blue Shield during my tenure. He is prepared in every way for this new role and is, along with the rest of the management team, the key factor that allows me to retire at this time" (Blue Shield release, 11/11).