Chapel Hill, N.C. – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) has elected Roberta B. Bowman, vice president of External Relations for Duke Energy, to its board of trustees. The BCBSNC board is made up of 14 community leaders from across North Carolina with backgrounds in areas including health care, business, finance and education.
Bowman, a Charlotte resident with more than 25 years of experience in the energy industry, is responsible for corporate communications, community relations, media relations, philanthropy and emergency communications at Duke Energy. She is also president of the Duke Energy Foundation.
"Roberta Bowman has helped Duke Energy thrive in a complex, rapidly changing industry," said BCBSNC President and CEO Bob Greczyn. "She has led her company’s efforts to respond to complicated policy issues and redouble its focus on improving the communities that it serves. Her business acumen and vision will be important to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina as we seek to maintain our leadership in our own complex and rapidly changing industry."
"Roberta will bring great insights to our board as an executive of a company that, like Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, is a leading corporate citizen and employer in the state," said Rhone Sasser, chairman of the BCBSNC board of trustees. "As an executive of one of the most prominent North Carolina companies, she understands the kinds of challenges we face as our state’s leading health insurer in a heavily regulated and vital industry. Her perspective will be valuable as we continue to serve as North Carolina’s hometown health insurer in the face of competitive, regulatory and economic challenges."
During her nearly two decades at Duke Energy, Bowman has served in leadership roles in communications, public policy and community relations. Bowman has helped define and enhance the Duke Energy brand, stimulate employee volunteerism, lead communications about the rapid growth of the company and international business development efforts, and guide the company’s response to a number of highly public issues, including the California energy crisis.
Bowman currently chairs Duke Energy’s Business Women’s Network and serves on its Enterprise Performance Committee and Disclosure Committee. Her community activities include serving as a member of the board of directors of Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont, a member of the PR Seminar Committee and a former board member of the A.W. Page Society. She chaired the Steering Committee for the 2001 U.S. Women’s Open in Southern Pines and will co-chair the Executive Committee for the 2007 U.S. Women’s Open. She is a member of the National Breast Cancer Coalition and the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
Bowman came to Duke Energy in 1986 after serving in a communications leadership role at Northeast Utilities in Connecticut. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree (cum laude) from Tufts University in 1977.
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina:
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is a leader in delivering innovative health care products, services and information to more than 3.2 million members, including approximately 620,000 served on behalf of other Blue Plans. For 71 years, the company has served its customers by offering health insurance at a competitive price and has served the people of North Carolina through support of community organizations, programs and events that promote good health. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Access BCBSNC online at bcbsnc.com.
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