Bill Gracey of BlueCross/BlueShieldBlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee is moving Chief Operating Officer J.D. Hickey into the health insurer’s top spot when CEO Bill Gracey retires at the end of August.
Hickey, 44, who has a medical and a law degree from Duke University, was chosen CEO-elect by the board of directors in June, according to the Chattanooga-based company.
He joined BlueCross in 2011 as chief of the BlueCross Medicaid managed-care subsidiary BlueCare Tennessee and was named COO a year later.
Gracey, 61, became CEO of Chattanooga’s largest private employer in January 2013 when former chief Vicky Gregg retired.
Gracey began work at BlueCross in October 2010, being tapped as president and COO after having first served on the company’s board.