Brian O’Grady named CDPHP president, CEO

New company president took helm last week, noted for his nearly 40 years of health care experience

COLONIE – CDPHP has announced Brian O’Grady as its new president and CEO. O’Grady will succeed Dr. John D. Bennett, who has held the position since 2008 after serving as chair, vice chair, and board member for CDPHP.

“As one of the founding members of this organization, it is not easy to say ‘goodbye,’ but I am able to do so knowing I am leaving CDPHP in capable hands,” said Bennett. “Brian has been a trusted leader at CDPHP for more than a decade, and I am confident that he will continue to grow and lead this plan well into the future.”

With nearly 40 years of experience in health care, O’Grady currently serves as the president of health plan markets at CDPHP. Prior to that, he held several leadership roles at Highmark BlueCross BlueShield (formerly BlueShield of Northeastern New York).

O’Grady is also a community leader, serving on the boards of numerous not-for-profit organizations, including United Way of the Greater Capital Region, the Health Information Exchange of New York (Hixny), and Southwestern Vermont Health Care. He was also the chair of the 2024 Heart Ball for the American Heart Association of the Capital Region.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to lead an organization driven by a strong mission, vision, and values,” said O’Grady. “Having been born and raised in the Capital Region, I understand the vital role this health plan plays in maintaining the well-being of our communities. I look forward to working with our team of nearly 1,400 colleagues, who dedicate themselves every day to providing our customers with the highest quality care and customer service.”

Bennett’s retirement follows the health plan’s recent integration with Community Care Physicians (CCP).

CDPHP and CCP are working to improve the quality, affordability, and experience of care for CDPHP members and CCP patients. CDPHP also announced its proposed affiliation with The Lifetime Healthcare Companies. If approved, the affiliation will allow the plans to maintain their local names, brands, and community presence while gaining economies of scale through shared technologies, systems, processes, and resources as part of one corporate family.

“I have been with this company since its inception, and I would not settle until I found the right partners and leadership team needed to carry this company into the future. I am confident that our integration with Community Care Physicians, as well as our proposed affiliation with The Lifetime Healthcare Companies, will allow this plan to continue carrying out its mission, and I am positive that Brian O’Grady is the right person to execute on that strategy,” added Bennett.

The CDPHP board of directors formed a selection committee, and the full board unanimously approved the decision to appoint O’Grady.

“As a physician-founded and guided health plan, we recognized the importance of selecting the right leader to carry out the CDPHP mission,” said Dr. Michael DeVito, chair of the CDPHP board of directors. “Despite our long-standing tradition of having a physician at the helm, our board is confident that Brian understands and supports our physician-centered approach to managing CDPHP, and I am certain he will prioritize the needs of our trusted physician partners.”

As a physician shareholder of Community Care Physicians (CCP), Bennett will remain active in the ongoing integration of CDPHP and CCP. Additionally, as the newly appointed CEO of the health plan’s holding company, Excelsior Health, Bennett will work to ensure the approval of the health plan’s affiliation with The Lifetime Healthcare Companies.

O’Grady assumed his new role last week.

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