File photo / Chris RamseyChris Ramsey, a former BlueCross BlueShield manager who helped lead a number of health care, education and technology projects in Chattanooga, died Saturday of complications from COVID-19. He was 54 years old.
Ramsey, who started his own insurance agency after heading Chattanooga's Tech Town in 2017 and 2018, was the first Black chairman of the Boys & Girls Club of Chattanooga and served as a co-chair for the annual Hamilton County Minority Health Fair and the Annual Boys Leadership Summit. Ramsey grew up in Brainerd participating in the Boys Club and decades later served as the organization's chairman. He was involved in a variety of local programs focused on mentoring and improving the lives of inner-city youth.
He also served as the chief strategy officer at Yesmar Strategy and Consulting, and was formerly the president of the Southeast Tennessee Health Consortium foundation. He worked for 24 years at BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee in a variety of management roles, including director of policy and regulations.
Ramsey was also an elder of the New Covenant Baptist Church where he was a leader of the Altar, Health & Wellness and Welcome Ministries.
A Chattanooga native, he graduated from Brainerd High School in 1984. He received his bachelors of business administration from Austin Peay State University in 1988 and his Masters of business administration from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 1990. He was an active member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.
He is survived by his wife, Lucrecia, and three children.
Arrangements are being handled by the John P. Franklin Funeral Home, which will announce more information about his funeral on Sunday.