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ANGELA BRALY
president and CEO,
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Missouri
One would not ordinarily think that the president of a major company
would describe herself as a “soccer mom.” But mini-van-driving Angela
Braly, president and CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) of
Missouri and mother of three, says that she is just that: “a soccer
mom—with a great job.”
CEO is a fairly new position for Braly, who took the helm in the
summer of 2003, after serving for several years as general counsel
for BCBS of Missouri. She acknowledges that everything looks different
from this perspective.
“The most challenging part is coming up with how I feel about where
I want the business to go and then getting the message out about
that,” says Braly, who is the first woman to serve as the company’s
president and CEO.
She has worked diligently to define her three-part vision for the
company. These guiding principles are, she says, all action items:
Do the right thing, do it for the customer, and do it right the
first time.
Braly was formerly a partner at the St. Louis law firm of Lewis,
Rice & Fingersh, L.C. Now, as the leader of BCBS of Missouri (an
operating subsidiary of WellPoint Health Networks Inc.), her team
serves more than 937,000 medical members and is the oldest and largest
health benefits company in Missouri.
Braly says it’s tough choosing exactly what will be the most valuable
use of her time. There is, she admits, always more demand than supply.
However, she finds it easy to take pride in the product that BCBS
of Missouri offers and in her associates, whose dedication she describes
as “amazing to watch.”
The ability to focus strictly on the local level, as opposed to
a more widespread geography, is an important element in differentiating
BCBS of Missouri from the competition, Braly says. Also, because
it is part of a larger national organization, BCBS of Missouri benefits
from dynamic ideas that are being developed across the country.
As Braly says, “Our business is all about providing health care
security for people. We need to always think about whether what
we are doing is going to create a better experience for our members.”
Debra Solomon Baker is a St. Louis-based freelance writer.
LEADERSHIP CIRCLE INSIGHTS 
What advice would you give to someone who was considering entering
your field?
“A fundamental engineering background is still preferred, but there’s
an added element of people skills now required. People sometimes
think of our business as ‘bricks and mortar,’ but it’s really a
service business, and that means it’s all about relationships.”
Robert McCoole,
President,
Alberici Constructors
“Have a passion for building things, make sure you would enjoy a
fast paced environment, and be willing to accept—no, thrive on challenges.
I started in this business 33 years ago welding wheelhouses together
and am still amazed as I watch a brand new vehicle driven off the
line every 46 seconds.”
James Nihls, Plant Manager,
DaimlerChrysler Corporation St. Louis Assembly South
“For those considering a career in the public accounting profession...there
are continual challenges when it comes to restoring public trust.
Although it is up to the individual to do the right thing, the issue
of establishing a culture of ethics and trust must be addressed
by both the business organization as well as the individual.”
Mike Zychinski,
Office Managing Partner,
Deloitte
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