The big idea:
Embracing regionalism, with a bear hug.
As chairman of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, Frick is a promoter of and believer in its affiliated program, Select Greater Philadelphia, an initiative that promotes the area as an 11-county, tristate region.
"Philadelphia is interdependent with the surrounding regions - the commuting patterns, the infrastructure," Frick said. "Whether we're talking about tourism or transportation, it's not just a city issue."
Start with the beach: When Frick accepted his role as chief executive officer at Independence Blue Cross in 2005, numerous business and community leaders reached out to welcome him. "I got the sense it was in their vested interest for me, as a leader, to succeed," he said.
In turn, he has extended the same welcome to others. His tour for newcomers and prospective residents usually includes a quick trip to the Jersey Shore, a destination that has special meaning for him because it is where he met his wife, Amy. The couple, who have a son and a daughter, reside in Newtown Square, Delaware County.
Leadership of dreams: Frick, who believes that people inherently want to contribute to society in positive ways, is driven by supporting the dreams of others. He believes a leader should provide partnerships and opportunities for people to work where they feel challenged, motivated and inspired. "People derive a lot of their own personal satisfaction and fulfillment from the leaders they work with," he said.
Wake up without an alarm: Last year, Frick was diagnosed with colon cancer and went through six months of chemotherapy. Now in what doctors call the surveillance stage, Frick says he has become more sensitive to the "unbelievable" beauty of this world.
"I don't think the alarm clock has woke me up once in the last year," he said. "I hear the birds or the breeze or the paper delivery and I feel so energized."
Energized enough, in fact, that for the first time, Frick participated in and completed the recent Blue Cross Broad Street Run, finishing in a little more than two hours. "I wouldn't say I exactly ran," he said. "But I made it . . . and it was so meaningful for me to do it."
About that little business transaction: Independence Blue Cross and Pittsburgh-based insurer Highmark Inc. are seeking to merge, a move they say would produce about $1 billion in savings. Hearings on the merger by the state Insurance Department are scheduled for July.
The major concerns people express to Frick about the proposed merger include monopoly fears and worry that the new company will be less connected and less involved in the communities it serves.
Frick insists that "absolutely nothing will change. . . . We'll be as focused on our markets" as now. At the same time, he said, "we'll have statewide capabilities that will allow us to develop better products."
Big idea he wishes he'd had: Walt Disney World. Frick said he would like to have been on the team that created that "magical" place, which appeals to everyone, regardless of race, age, gender or nationality. "It keeps reinventing itself," he said. "Yet its value and missions are still the same."