Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas Recognizes Employee As 2013 Volunteer of the Year For Dedicated Service To Others

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Dec 17, 2013, 10:00 ET

RICHARDSON, Texas, Dec. 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) announced today that Cherry Jefferson, a senior provider network contracting representative at BCBSTX has been named the company's Volunteer of the Year. Located in the BCBSTX Houston office, Cherry has supported numerous charitable initiatives such as Marathon Kids, Great Pumpkin Fun Run, Blue Bear appearances, KaBOOM playground builds, Houston Rockets Health Fair, Astros Health Days and Ingrando Park Ballfield opening, Stride 4 Stroke, and Care Van Programs. She has not only inspired her colleagues by giving freely of her personal time to non-profit organizations, but has logged more than 162 volunteer hours in the company's Blue Corps volunteer program!

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130425/DA02213LOGO )

The Blue Corps Volunteer of the Year award celebrates the dedication and community service of truly outstanding BCBSTX volunteers. The Volunteer of the Year award was first introduced in 2010 as part of BCBSTX's ongoing effort to give back to the community and provide well-earned recognition to encourage volunteerism. Each year, the award is given to one person who captures the "spirit of giving back to the community." The award gives BCBSTX employees the opportunity to recognize and nominate fellow employees who go the extra mile to help others.

"Cherry embodies the spirit of BCBSTX in everything she does and everywhere she goes," said Bert Marshall, president, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas. "I'm proud to recognize Cherry for her passionate energy, generosity and unwavering commitment to demonstrating our purpose of enhancing the well-being of Texas communities by consistently volunteering with such a wide variety of community organizations."

In honor of this annual recognition, Cherry was awarded a $1,000 donation to a nonprofit organization of her choice. Cherry has chosen to give her $1,000 grant to the nonprofit organization, SEARCH Homeless Services, which pursues a mission of providing hope, creating opportunity and transforming lives.

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) -- the only statewide, customer-owned health insurer in Texas -- is the largest provider of health benefits in the state, working with nearly 80,000 physicians and 500 hospitals to serve 4.9 million members in all 254 counties. It has also been ranked "Highest Member Satisfaction among Commercial Health Plans in Texas" for three years in a row by J.D. Power and Associates.

BCBSTX is a Division of Health Care Service Corporation (which operates Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Texas, Illinois, Montana, Oklahoma and New Mexico), the country's largest customer-owned health insurer and fourth largest health insurer overall. Health Care Service Corporation is a Mutual Legal Reserve Company and an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

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Video with caption: "BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD OF TEXAS RECOGNIZES EMPLOYEE, CHERRY JEFFERSON, AS 2013 VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR FOR DEDICATED SERVICE TO OTHERS". Video available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zONr5Jb8z8U

SOURCE Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas