Biography

Daniel J. Hilferty is lead independent director of the board of directors for Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE: WTRG), one of the largest publicly traded water, wastewater and natural gas providers in the U.S., serving approximately 5.5 million people across 10 states.

Hilferty is the chairman and chief executive officer of Comcast Spectacor and Governor of the Philadelphia Flyers for the National Hockey League. Previously, Hilferty was the president and chief executive officer of Independence Blue Cross, one of the nation’s leading health insurers. Under his leadership, the number of people the company and its affiliates serve has tripled to nearly 8.5 million in 25 states and Washington, D.C., including more than 2.5 million in southeastern Pennsylvania.

Hilferty has held many distinguished positions throughout his career, including serving as senior vice president of corporate and government affairs at Mercy Health Corporation, as well as president and CEO of AmeriHealth Caritas Family of Companies.

Hilferty’s vision is to lead the transformation of health care in America, seeking innovative technologies and new models of care that will increase the quality and lower the cost of care. He led the creation of the Independence Blue Cross Center for Health Care Innovation and launched Tandigm Health, a unique joint venture that arms primary care physicians with the tools and data needed to better manage chronic conditions and deliver more personalized care. He has built business collaborations with world-renowned institutions such as the University of Pennsylvania to conduct cutting-edge research and partnered with Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans and other leaders in health care to purchase dynamic health care companies.

Hilferty earned his undergraduate degree from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, his master’s degree in public administration from American University and served in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps running a community center in Portland, Ore.

Hilferty serves on the boards of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, the Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia, BCS Financial and FS Investment Corporation III. He serves on the executive committee of the board of directors of America’s Health Insurance Plans, and is chair of the corporate governance committee, chair of the executive committee and a member of the audit committee and the executive compensation committee of the board of directors for Essential Utilities, Inc.