Carlson Executive Joins Blue Cross Board of Trustees

EAGAN, Minn., Jan. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Jim Porter, executive vice president
of human resources for Carlson, has been elected to the Blue Cross and Blue
Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross) board of trustees. Blue Cross operates under
the guidance of the board which oversees the organization's work as a
nonprofit health service plan corporation.
Porter joined Carlson in April 2003 as senior vice president of human
resources and was promoted to his current position in April 2005.
Prior to working for Carlson, he was the senior vice president and chief
administrative officer of Honeywell International. In his 21-year career at
Honeywell, Porter rose from the role of human resources recruiter in the
company's defense division to senior vice president and chief administrative
officer, one of six senior officers who reported to the chairman and chief
executive officer of the $25 billion corporation.
"Jim's extensive experience in human resources, information technology, e-
business, communications, and community relations makes him a very valuable
addition to our board of trustees," said Mark W. Banks, M.D., CEO of Blue
Cross. "In particular, his knowledge of health care from a human resources
perspective will add a positive dynamic to our board."
Prior to joining Honeywell, Porter served in a variety of positions with
The Trane Company in LaCrosse Wisconsin, Hoechst-Roussel Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
in Somerville, New Jersey, and ELBA Corporation in Denver, Colorado.
Porter is a graduate of Northwest Missouri State University and a longtime
resident of the Minnesota community.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, with headquarters in the St. Paul
suburb of Eagan, was chartered in 1933 as Minnesota's first health plan and
continues to carry out its charter mission today: to promote a wider, more
economical and timely availability of health services for the people of
Minnesota. A nonprofit, taxable organization, Blue Cross is the largest health
plan based in Minnesota, covering 2.9 million members in Minnesota and
nationally through its health plans or plans administered by its affiliated
companies. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is an independent licensee
of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, headquartered in Chicago.
http://www.bluecrossmn.com
SOURCE Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota

Jan Hennings, APR, of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota,
+1-651-662-6139