BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina

BlueCross Announces Senior Level Promotions

August 30, 2006

Columbia, S.C. -- BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina has promoted Bruce Honeycutt to head the Corporate Audit and Compliance division, replacing Charles Higgins who will retire this week after 38 years with the company.

Honeycutt, who currently serves as assistant treasurer and vice president of Corporate Finance, will be vice president and chief of internal audit and compliance, reporting directly to CEO M. Edward Sellers.

Honeycutt joined BlueCross in 1983 as an accounting manager after four years with Price Waterhouse & Co. and two years with the U.S. Army Audit Agency. He also currently serves as a division chair for the United Way of the Midlands Campaign, a board member and treasurer of Parenting Partners, and chair of the stewardship committee at Spring Valley Baptist Church in Columbia.

Higgins joined BlueCross in 1968 and has been a member of senior management for more than 35 years. He created the corporate audit function for the company and currently oversees 77 audit, security and compliance professionals in South Carolina and other states involved in government contracts and other business.

"One of the keys to our success as a growing company is our strong reputation and dedication to compliance," said CEO M. Edward Sellers. "We thank Charlie Higgins for 38 years of outstanding service, and we welcome Bruce Honeycutt in this critical role."

Honeycutt will be replaced as vice president of Corporate Finance by Mike Mizeur, who previously worked for Ernst & Young. In his new position, he will oversee 80 finance professionals and he will continue to head BlueCross’ subsidiary, Companion Capital Management, Inc.

In addition, David Cote will be promoted to assistant vice president and assistant treasurer reporting to the Chief Financial Officer Robert Leichtle. Cote has worked for BlueCross since 1993, currently as accounting director of the Treasury department. In his new position, he will be responsible for all treasury functions for the entire corporation.

All of these promotions will be effective beginning September 1.

Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans.