West Virginia Executive Spring/Summer 2020 | Page 104

������������� James L. Fawcett Jr. President, Highmark West Virginia SAMANTHA CART Photo by John Sibold. JAMES FAWCETT’S FAMILY LEGACY of service initially inspired him to pursue a career with the U.S. Air Force. His father was a physician in the Army, and two of his second cousins served as Air Force pilots. “I was always mesmerized by hearing about their service,” he says. During four years of college and ROTC training, where he earned a commission as a second lieutenant, Fawcett learned the importance of preparation and teamwork, skills that easily translated into a career in health care financing and management, and he now carries on his family legacy by serving the citizens of the Mountain State as president of Highmark West Virginia. As Fawcett transitioned into the business world, he had the good fortune of joining Blue Cross of Western Pennsylvania in 1988 in the national client sales division. “Joining a company that has offered different career paths over my 32-year career and provided me with new challenges every five to 10 years has been exciting,” he says. “I have moved to several different divisions and geographies over time.” 102 WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE