[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 53 (Monday, April 19, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E688]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          THOMAS WARD HONORED

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                         HON. PAUL E. KANJORSKI

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 19, 1999

  Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Mr. Thomas 
J. Ward of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Tom is retiring as President and 
CEO of Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania. I am pleased to have 
been asked to join in honoring his long career.
  Tom began his career in New York in a variety of health care-related 
positions. In 1967, he was a research assistant for a special 
environmental project of the New York Department of Health. He taught 
at the State University of New York and later served as a research 
consultant there until 1969. Tom also held several positions at the 
Albany Medical College until he arrived in Northeastern Pennsylvania in 
1973. He began as Director of Planning and Research for the Health and 
Hospital Planning Council of Northeastern Pennsylvania, and later 
became the Deputy Director of the entire Council. In 1976, Tom became 
Special Assistant of Health Care Planning at Blue Cross. He went on to 
hold the posts of Director of Professional Affairs, Vice-President of 
Professional and Public Affairs, and Executive Vice-President before 
being appointed President and CEO in October 1990.
  Since 1990, Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania has soared in 
membership. Tom helped shift Blue Cross from an indemnity company to a 
managed care company by establishing six divisions in 1992, each under 
the supervision of a vice-president. Tom also instituted a quality 
management approach to review all the processes in the company and 
establish specific improvement goals.
  Tom is very active in our community, sitting on the Board of Keystone 
Junior College, the Lackawanna County Association of Retarded Citizens, 
the Hospital Association of Pennsylvania, the Scranton Chamber of 
Commerce, the United Way, and the Boy Scouts of America. Tom and his 
wife Priscilla have five grown children and reside in Clarks Summit, 
Pennsylvania.
  Through his able leadership and broad vision of health insurance 
needs of the future, Tom Ward has skillfully led Blue Cross of 
Northeastern Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join with his 
family, friends, and colleagues in thanking him for ``a job well done'' 
and wishing him a happy, healthy, and productive retirement.

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