Melani followed circuitous journey from Allegheny Valley to Highmark

Melani followed circuitous journey from Allegheny Valley to Highmark:

"Some peoples' lives are framed by the gravity of their forebears' legacy; others by a singular, undeniable talent. The life of Dr. Melani, now 54, was not so much framed as it was forged, by his own personality and skills as a diplomat.

Those skills have him on the cusp of becoming one of the most powerful business leaders in Pennsylvania, and one of the most important health insurance executives in the United States. Highmark is seeking a merger with Philadelphia's Independence Blue Cross, and combined, the two nonprofits will have up to 26,000 employees, 7 million policyholders, a $24 billion organization -- physicians' practices, dental, vision, casualty and life, and of course health insurance.

If the merger is completed, he'd head the entire company as its CEO.

'It's a very serious responsibility,' says Dr. Melani, who in his current job makes more than $3 million a year and occupies a radiant, 31st-floor office. 'I step back and look at it and say, Oh my God, how did little me from Cheswick, a little kid from Arnold, end up in this position? I was just going to practice medicine, and that was overwhelming to me.'"

My point in posting this is not to pick on Dr. Melani nor Highmark, per se, just to point out the obvious: These things are huge, money making machines.

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