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Brian J. Rinker is Market President for the Eastern Pennsylvania region of Highmark Inc. This includes oversight of Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield in the Northeastern Pennsylvania market and Highmark Blue Shield in the Central Pennsylvania market.

In this role, Mr. Rinker is Highmark’s senior leader based in the region providing support for business performance, new business development and serves as a primary liaison with community stakeholders, business partners and advisory boards. Mr. Rinker was appointed to this position in January of 2020. Previously, he served as Senior Vice President for the Northeastern Pennsylvania region. He joined Highmark in 2015 following the merger of Highmark and the former Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania (BCNEPA) where he was the Senior Vice President/Chief Administrative Officer.

In addition to his health insurance background, Mr. Rinker worked at the former Community Medical Center Healthcare System in Scranton, Pennsylvania as the Vice President for Planning and Managed Care. He began his career in federal and state-sponsored health systems planning with the Health Systems Agency of Northeastern Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

Mr. Rinker holds a Bachelor’s Degree from King’s College in Wilkes-Barre and a Master’s Degree in Health Administration from Wilkes University, also in Wilkes-Barre.

He is active on many community boards including the United Way of Wyoming Valley, the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce, Volunteers in Medicine, the Diamond City Partnership and the Luzerne County Industrial Development Authority.

He lives in Forty Fort Pennsylvania with his wife Lisa.

Current Board of Director affiliations include:

• United Way of Wyoming Valley
• Luzerne County Industrial and Development Authority
• Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce
• Diamond City Partnership

Current Health Care Advisory affiliations include:

• University of Scranton Health Advisory Council
• Misericordia University Health Advisory Council
• Wright Center Strategic Executive Committee

Thought Leadership Topics:

Health Care Industry

• National landscape/current health care issues
• Highmark’s shift to value-based reimbursement
• Health care landscape in NEPA

Operational, experiential & clinical excellence

• Provider partnerships in NEPA (Lehigh Valley Health Network, Geisinger Joint Venture)

Managing Health Care Dollars

• Highmark products in NEPA that manage health care costs