Contact: Gina Pferdehirt Director, Public Relations & Community Relations UPMC Health Plan 412-454-4953 pferdehirtgm@upmc.edu

JJ Abbott, Governor’s Office 717-783-1116 Megan Healey, First Lady’s Office 717-602-7830

Diane Holder Honored with Distinguished Daughters of Pennsylvania Award

PITTSBURGH (Oct. 4, 2017) – Gov. Tom Wolf and First Lady Frances Wolf today recognized Diane Holder, executive vice president of UPMC, president of UPMC Insurance Services Division, and president and CEO of UPMC Health Plan, as a Distinguished Daughters of Pennsylvania award recipient.

Distinguished Daughters of Pennsylvania began in 1948 to honor women who have shown distinguished service through a professional career and/or voluntary service. This year, eight outstanding women from across the state were honored with medals for their achievements during an event at the Governor’s residence in Harrisburg, Pa.

“This incredible group of women is here today because of a unique and important contribution each has made in her own community and beyond,” Gov. Wolf said. “Frances and I recognize their hard work and dedication and we are honored to name them as Distinguished Daughters of Pennsylvania.”

According to the award nomination submitted by the Senator John Heinz History Center, Diane Holder was recognized for her commitment to community health and public service across a wide variety of non-profit and charitable organizations.

“People across the state know Diane Holder is a champion committed to providing high quality and affordable health care,” said Andrew Masich, president and CEO of the Senator John Heinz History Center. “But they may not know about Diane’s community leadership that has been invaluable to the many organizations she is affiliated with, including serving as the first woman board chair of the Heinz History Center, Pittsburgh’s oldest cultural institution.”

Throughout her career, Holder has been a committed advocate for people dealing with addiction and mental illness and previously served as CEO of Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of UPMC.

As president of UPMC Insurance Services Division, Holder provides strategic direction for the organization, which serves more than 3.2 million members across Pennsylvania. A champion for women in the workplace, she also earned the Allegheny Conference on Community Development’s Athena Award in 2014 and was recognized by the International Women’s Forum as a “Woman Who Makes a Difference” in 2015.

Along with Holder, the 2017 Distinguished Daughters of Pennsylvania include Dr. Jeanne Donlevy Arnold (Lebanon), Laurada Byers (Philadelphia), Mary Colvert Carroll (Naalehu, HI), Susan Kemenyffy (McKean), Beverly Lange (Ardmore), Andrea Mitchell (Washington, D.C.), and Cynthia Shapira (Pittsburgh).

“Tom and I are proud to honor 2017’s Distinguished Daughters, who have given so much of themselves to others, in both their professional and philanthropic lives,” said First Lady Frances Wolf. “We can’t thank them enough for the impact they have made and hope that this important distinction will help inspire the next generation of Pennsylvania girls and women to set their own bars high.”

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About UPMC Insurance Services Division

The UPMC Insurance Services Division is owned by UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center) a world-renowned health care provider and insurer based in Pittsburgh, Pa. As a provider-led organization that is part of an integrated health care delivery system, the UPMC Insurance Services Division is committed to providing its members better health, more financial security and the peace of mind they deserve. The UPMC Insurance Services Division partners with UPMC and community network providers to produce a combination of knowledge and expertise that provides the highest quality care at the most affordable price. The UPMC Insurance Services Division – which includes UPMC Health Plan, WorkPartners, UPMC for Life, UPMC for You, UPMC for Kids, and Community Care Behavioral Health — offers a full range of group health insurance, Medicare, Special Needs, CHIP, Medical Assistance, behavioral health, employee assistance and workers' compensation products and services to more than 3.2 million members. For more information, visit www.upmchealthplan.com.