Excellus BCBS Appoints Cindy Langston as its First Female Chief Information Officer

Cindy Langston
Cindy Langston

Cindy Langston has been appointed as senior vice president and chief information officer at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, the largest nonprofit health insurer in Upstate New York. Langston is the company’s first female chief information officer in its 87-year history.

“Cindy is an experienced and strategic leader with a proven track record of building high-performing teams and delivering results,” said Jim Reed, CEO and president of Excellus BCBS. “She’s also tremendously generous with her time and service to our community.”

“Anyone who knows Cindy is also likely not surprised that she broke this barrier at our company, as our first-ever female chief information officer,” he added.

In her new position, Langston is responsible for delivering on a new technology foundation, developing market leading capabilities and readying the organization with the talent and technology needed for the future.

Langston has a B.S. degree in computer technology from Purdue University, an MBA from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management and over 30 years of experience in the field of information technology and consulting. She has worked for Dow Corning Corporation, Aon Hewitt, Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, in addition to her time as a consultant.

Langston’s leadership journey has taken her across the globe. She spent 10 years, for example, as an international consultant leading large, global IT implementations in Australia, Japan, England, Singapore, Scotland and South Korea.

In 2014, Langston started at Excellus BCBS as a vice president in information technology. Three years later, she was promoted to lead the Analytics & Data division as chief analytics data officer.

Langston serves the Rochester community in a variety of ways, including as board chairwoman of the YWCA of Rochester and Monroe County; member of the Women’s Leadership Council of the United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes; and past chairwoman of the YWCA Racial Justice Committee and Stand Against Racism events.

Langston also mentors and coaches many individuals, and leads the Excellus BCBS Women’s Leadership group, which engages women with a passion to invest in the advancement of themselves and other women leaders.