Prioritizing Community as an Anchor Institution
Anchor institutions are large organizations tied to the community, such as universities, local government entities, nonprofits and even businesses. CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst) is proud to be one of the country's largest not-for-profit healthcare organizations headquartered in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland. As a large employer with over 6,000 employees in the Mid-Atlantic region, the health of our communities health is essential to us. We believe it is the responsibility of business anchor institutions to give back to their communities in meaningful ways.
CareFirst President and CEO Brian D. Pieninck recently joined Aaron Dante, host of No Pix After Dark, a primarily Baltimore-based culture and community podcast that highlights positivity and experiences. Aaron and Brian discussed CareFirst's role as an anchor institution in the Mid-Atlantic region, the future of healthcare, transportation, economic development, policy and more.
"It's not either show up to a job or do something positive, impactful for the community. It's really bringing those two things together and saying, well, how do I carve out a career for myself, a life for myself that allows me to be active and present as a community member, a community participant, but also a community investor? Every single person that's part of this experience can make that choice and we can all make that impact. We just have to decide that those two things are actually connected in a thoughtful way."
Brian D. Pieninck, President and CEO, CareFirst
