ADVISORY/IBC President/CEO G. Fred DiBona to Be Honored as Drexel's 50th Business Leader of the Year.

News Editors/Assignment Desks

ADVISORY...for Wednesday (Dec. 10)

--(BUSINESS WIRE)

Drexel University 

What:       G. Fred DiBona Jr., president and chief executive officer
            of Independence Blue Cross (IBC), will be honored tomorrow
            as Drexel University's 50th Business Leader of the Year.

            Headquartered in Philadelphia, IBC has projected 2003
            revenues of $10 billion, employs over 8,600 individuals
            and has more than 4 million members. In 2001 and 2002, IBC
            ranked in the top 25 of the 100 best places to work in
            Pennsylvania in the category "Large Sized Company" (250 +
            employees).

            The luncheon includes elaborate table, balcony and stage
            decorations by Fred Stein of the Creative Group, a DiBona
            tribute video and the award presentation by the dean of
            Drexel's LeBow College of Business George Tsetsekos.
            Proceeds from the more than $400,000 raised will support a
            scholarship in DiBona's name at LeBow College.

When:       December 10, 2003, noon - 1:30 p.m. Sharp

Where:      Grand Ballroom, Park Hyatt Philadelphia at The Bellevue
            (Broad & Walnut streets)

Who:        More than 800 Greater Philadelphia business leaders will
            be in attendance, including Carl Dranoff, Fred Shabel,
            Marty Weinberg, Anna Verna, Dave Montgomery and Betsy
            Cohen. Former Business Leaders of the Year George M. Ross
            (1989), Harold A. Sorgenti (1991), Warren V. "Pete" Musser
            (1993), John Forbes McCaughan (1994), William J. Avery
            (1997) and Nicholas DeBenedictis (1998) will be in
            attendance to mark 50 years of business leader awards.