Excellus BCBS appoints Cindy Langston as its first female chief information officer

Posted on January 8, 2022

News release

For Immediate Release                    Contact: Edward Byrnes

Date: January 7, 2022                             edward.byrnes@excellus.com                              

 

Excellus BCBS appoints Cindy Langston as its first female chief information officer

 

SYRACUSE, NY – 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.

Leadership journey

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.

 

“Cindy impressed us with her ability to step outside her comfort zone and lead in an area that wasn’t as familiar to her,” Reed said.

 

Her “Golden Fry” rule

Langston is quick to note that her leadership journey started 40 years ago when she was a teenager in Chicago working her first job at a fast-food restaurant. It was there, working the fry line, that she accidently discovered her “Golden Fry” rule of leadership.

Her boss once said, “I need you to get a broom and bring it into the dining area,” and she did as she was told. But she never forgot his reaction when she handed him the broom. He had wanted her to sweep the dining room. Instead of voicing his intention, he looked at Langston with disgust and called her an unflattering name.

 

“It was there and then that I vowed to never, ever act that way toward any future employees of mine,” she said. “Respect would also be of the utmost importance to me. I have kept my Golden Fry rule ever since.”

 

Community work

Langston serves the Rochester community in a variety of ways, including as board chair 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.

 

“I’m a believer in developing strong women, and I’ve had a lot of opportunities to work on it having three daughters and five granddaughters,” said Langston. “You don’t see many women in the STEM field, so I’m always trying to encourage, mentor and coach women to think about some of those disciplines.” 

 

Langston attributes her success to her faith and support of her husband and family.  “I’m humbled and grateful for this opportunity,” added Langston. “I hope the statement that I’m making by being a female CIO here at Excellus BCBS is that anything is possible.”

 

###

 

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, is a nonprofit health plan with 1.5 million upstate New York members. The company's mission is to help people live healthier and more secure lives through access to high-quality, affordable health care. Its products and services include cost-saving prescription drug discounts, wellness tracking tools and access to telemedicine. With more than 3,500 employees, the company is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce to foster innovation and better serve its members. It also encourages employees to engage in their communities by providing paid volunteer time off as one of many benefits. To learn more, visit ExcellusBCBS.com.

 

 

 

 

Other Member News

2025 Central New York Real Estate Conference
October 21, 2025

2025 Central New York Real Estate Conference

This one-day event offers unparalleled opportunities for networking, lead generation, and brand visibility—whether through attending, tabling, or sponsoring.

October 20, 2025

Springbrook Expands in Central New York with New Syracuse Office

The expansion marks an exciting milestone in Springbrook’s ongoing mission to provide exceptional, person-centered support across the state.

Warm, hearty meals for casual friendly get-togethers
October 17, 2025

Fulton Dining and Activity Center Menu

Reservations are encouraged and bussing is available from participants homes to the center.

Oswego Jiu Jitsu & The Mix Women's Self-Defense Seminar
October 15, 2025

Oswego Jiu Jitsu & The Mix Women's Self-Defense Seminar

Find out more information and register here.

October 15, 2025

Join SUNY Oswego for A Showcase of Innovation, Collaboration and Impact!

RSVP to join us on October 23-24, 2025 at SUNY Oswego for any or all of the following four free events.

BCBS
October 14, 2025

Excellus BCBS 2026 Enrollment

Three simple steps to finding your new plan for 2026.

Shoulder Pain? Join SOS for a Virtual Community Talk on November 12 2025
October 14, 2025

SOS to Host Virtual Community Talk: “Your Shoulder Health: Exploring Arthritis Care and Surgical Advances”

The goal of the webinar is to empower patients and caregivers with evidence-based information, demystify the treatment process, and provide a forum for questions.

John Huhtala
October 7, 2025

Tompkins Community Bank Welcomes Commercial Banking Regional Manager

Huhtala, a 28-year industry veteran known for his leadership, mentorship and community engagement, will lead operations with the goal of driving growth and value for the bank’s clients.

shake shack pic
October 7, 2025

Shake Shack Grand Opening in DeWitt

We will be donating $1 from every burger and chicken sandwich purchased to the Food Bank of Central New York.