CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) has elected Dr. Harold L. Martin Sr., Chancellor of Winston–Salem State University (WSSU), to its board of trustees.
 
Under Martin’s leadership, WSSU has undertaken an historic expansion of academic programs, mounted an aggressive building program and has become the fastest growing institution in the University of North Carolina system.
 
"Dr. Martin is an accomplished scholar, a natural leader and a gifted administrator," said Bob Greczyn, BCBSNC president and CEO. "He is particularly committed to promoting the economic, social, cultural and intellectual development of his region and the state. His well–rounded experience and talent will be a significant asset as we continue to serve as North Carolina’s stable and reliable health insurer."
 
"Dr. Martin has been hard–working and innovative in enriching academic offerings at Winston–Salem State, enhancing the campus setting and bolstering the university’s financial stability," said Rhone Sasser, chairman of the BCBSNC board of trustees. "He also brings a strong personal involvement in initiatives to improve the quality of life of the people of the Triad and North Carolina as a whole. That kind of leadership is essential as BCBSNC continues its singular focus on serving our customers and strengthening North Carolina’s communities."
 
Martin, the eleventh chief administrator and the seventh chancellor of Winston–Salem State University, is an accomplished scholar, teacher and administrator. Since Martin became chancellor in 2000, WSSU enrollment has increased 72 percent. He has been the guiding force behind the reclassification of WSSU from a baccalaureate I to a master’s II institution, the creation of the School of Graduate Studies and Research, and seven master’s degree programs.
 
Under his leadership, the university has been ranked first among Top Southern Public Comprehensive Colleges, Bachelor’s category, in US News and World Report magazine’s "America’s Best Colleges Issue" for four consecutive years. Described in the Triad Business Journal as "the Chancellor of Change," and identified as one of the most influential executives in the region, Martin proudly boasts that WSSU students approach challenges with enthusiasm. This attitude, combined with exceptional preparation, produces students who are highly targeted employment candidates.
 
Before coming to WSSU, Martin was vice chancellor of academic affairs, dean of the College of Engineering and chair of the Electrical Engineering Department at North Carolina A&T University in Greensboro. He had an adjunct faculty appointment in engineering at N.C. State University in Raleigh. Martin has a bachelor’s degree and a master’s of science degree in electrical engineering from N.C. A&T, and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
 
Martin is involved in a number of community activities that promote health, economic and educational development of the Piedmont. He serves on the boards of community and business organizations including the Downtown Rotary, United Way of Forsyth County, the Piedmont Club, the Winston–Salem Symphony, Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce, and the Winston–Salem Foundation.
 
 
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 3.1 million members, including approximately 549,000 served on behalf of other Blue Plans. The company offers its members the Blue ExtrasSM value–added programs, which provide discounts and information on a wide variety of health–related services at no additional cost. BCBSNC also offers life, dental, long–term care and disability insurance products. 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.
 
BCBSNC’s HMO product has earned Excellent Accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), an independent, not–for–profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of health care. BCBSNC also has North Carolina’s first and only NCQA accredited PPO plan – Blue OptionsSM. 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.
 
About Winston-Salem State University:
Winston–Salem State University, a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina, is a public university founded in 1892 in Winston–Salem, NC. WSSU is a historically black university that today is a recognized regional institution offering baccalaureate and graduate programs to a diverse student population. U.S. News and World Report has ranked the university number one among Top Public Comprehensive Colleges in the South for the last four years (2002–2005). WSSU currently offers more than 40 baccalaureate and seven master’s degree programs to a student population of more than 4,800.
 
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