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Robert C. Hudson, CEO of AvMed Health Plans and Its Parent Company, SantaFe Healthcare, Announces Retirement

Posted on: Monday, 31 July 2006, 15:01 CDT

MIAMI, July 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Robert C. Hudson, a health leader in Florida for three decades who guided AvMed Health Plans and its parent holding company, SantaFe HealthCare, to the most successful years in their history, announced today he will retire at the end of 2006.

Hudson noted that December 2006 has been a part of his retirement planning timeline for a while, and he is ready to devote more time to volunteer work, business and civic involvement, travel and hobbies. Also, with AvMed and SantaFe HealthCare growing and stronger than at any time in their history, it's time for new leadership to carry the organization to the next level, he said.

Hudson serves as both CEO of AvMed Health Plans and President and CEO of SantaFe HealthCare. In his announcement he said, "I am forever grateful for the opportunity that AvMed and SantaFe HealthCare have given me over the years to help improve the health and well-being of Florida's citizens," Hudson added. "I am also gratified that our values-based organization will continue providing the highest quality healthcare and service to Florida's citizens for decades to come."

SantaFe HealthCare and AvMed have a long history of stable leadership. The respective boards are currently engaged in the succession planning process and an announcement is expected in the next several weeks.

Today, SantaFe HealthCare consists of AvMed -- Florida's oldest and largest not-for-profit health plan -- Haven Hospice of North Central Florida, and two retirement communities -- North Florida Retirement Village in Gainesville and Bayview Gardens in Clearwater. SantaFe HealthCare is based in Gainesville and AvMed is headquartered in Miami.

Under Hudson's leadership, AvMed's past three years have been the most successful in its history, while SantaFe HealthCare has embarked on a major new initiative to acquire and/or develop high-quality senior living retirement communities. Haven Hospice has grown to be one of the top twenty hospices in the U.S.

AvMed has completely re-engineered its health plan product portfolio -- adding new open access plans that allow members to see any doctor they want, consumer-driven plans that are compatible with personal health spending accounts, and affordable new plans for small businesses. AvMed has also focused on writing business through independent agents, raised its financial protection for members to an all-time high, and is growing in all markets.

"Bob Hudson has guided AvMed's transition from mostly being an HMO to being a total solution health plan that offers a broad array of coverage options for employers large and small," said Joe Dunlap, the Chairman of AvMed's Board of Directors. "He also built a strong, values-based culture within AvMed that has made us a national leader in quality and service."

At SantaFe HealthCare, the North Florida Retirement Village recently adopted a new 15-year Campus Master Development Plan, and the senior living growth strategy was launched with the purchase of Bayview Gardens retirement community in Clearwater last February. Haven Hospice is opening its fourth inpatient care center in December.

"SantaFe HealthCare is bringing much-needed new retirement living options to seniors in Florida and the Southeast, and Bob Hudson was instrumental in developing that strategy," said Scottie Butler, Chairman of SantaFe HealthCare's Board of Directors. "Bob has made a great contribution to our organization and to the future of healthcare in Florida."

Raised in Jacksonville, Hudson is an outdoorsman who loves hunting, fishing and scuba diving. At age 24, he became a platoon leader in the U.S. Army's elite 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam, where he served with distinction. After a second tour of duty in Vietnam, he began searching for a career "where I could do some good in society and for my community" and chose healthcare. Since then, he's served on many not-for-profit boards and won multiple awards, including being named "Alumnus of the Year" in 2000 by the University of Florida's College of Health Professions.

About AvMed Health Plans

AvMed Health Plans is Florida's oldest and largest not-for-profit health plan, improving access to healthcare for members for more than 30 years, while serving Florida communities in all major metropolitan areas of the state. Through an extensive medical provider network, AvMed offers healthcare coverage on a fully insured and self-funded basis for employer groups in Florida. Additionally, AvMed offers healthcare products to Medicare beneficiaries in South Florida. AvMed has offices in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, Orlando, Tampa, Gainesville and Jacksonville. For more information, visit http://www.avmed.org/ .

About SantaFe HealthCare

SantaFe HealthCare is the parent company of AvMed Health Plans and is based in Gainesville. Besides AvMed, SantaFe HealthCare has three other affiliates, North Florida Retirement Village, Bayview Gardens Retirement Community and Haven Hospice of North Central Florida.

AvMed Health Plans

CONTACT: Conchita Ruiz-Topinka, Director, Public Relations, AvMed HealthPlans, +1-305-671-7306

Web site: http://www.avmed.org/

Source: PRNewswire

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