R&B singer Akon is doing more than making music these days. The hit-maker, who signed Lady Gaga to his KonLive Distribution record label, is now embarking on a new venture.

Memorial Day Weekend will mark the debut of Akon’s new, 10,000 square foot nightclub, Jewel Punta Cana Disco Clubb, in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

Celebrity DJ SmashKash has been tapped to spin the hits during this lavish fete. SmashKash, the official KonLive DJ for Dance Music, is currently working on a dance music mix tape and a new single featuring Akon.

Independence Blue Cross has rolled out a new program designed to connect fully insured members with a primary health coach.

The health coach is a nurse who will be the single point of contact for guidance managing challenging health conditions, answering questions, and addressing concerns, including coordinating care after surgery or a critical illness and helping manage chronic conditions.

“The new primary health coach program is one more way IBC is changing the game,” said Daniel J. Hilferty, IBC president and CEO.

“As health coaches, our nurses combine coaching skills with their medical knowledge to help members make better choices about their care and to get well and stay well. This is patient-centered coaching tailored to meet our members’ specific health needs.”

The primary health coach has a 360-degree view of a member’s complete health record using an integrated nurse dashboard, a system that puts information right at the health coach’s fingertips. The coach remains consistent even as members visit different doctors, hospitals, or other professionals throughout the health care system. Coaches are available to fully insured commercial and Medicare Advantage members.

“Health care consumers dealing with a serious illness or a chronic condition have a lot to think about when managing tests, procedures, prescriptions, and claims — all of which can be confusing or even overwhelming,” said Dr. Richard L. Snyder, IBC’s senior vice president and chief medical officer.

Barbara S. Nix was a choir director.

Nix died Saturday, May 11, 2013. She was 73.

She was born March 22, 1940, to James and Melville Johnson. As a little girl, Nix was given the nickname “Chee Chee.” Her mother was an avid fan of a radio program called “Papa David,” and Chee Chee was the little girl character.

Growing up in the Holmesburg section of Philadelphia, Nix was educated in the Philadelphia Public School system, attending Benjamin Crispin Elementary and graduating from Lincoln Junior and Senior High. While at Lincoln, she was active in the choir, the orchestra and the dance group. She also played softball at the school. After graduating from high school, she obtained an associate degree in secretarial skills from the Taylor School of Columbia Institute.

She joined Mt. Zion Baptist Church as a young child. As an adult, Nix taught Sunday school and Vacation Bible School and belonged to the Missionaries. For 47 years, she directed the young people’s choir. Over the years, she taught piano to many young people and friends.

She sold Avon for 15 years. Her family said she was an exceptional Avon salesperson.

On Aug. 22, 1959, she married Elwood J. Nix, and they had four children.

“Chee Chee was a beautiful, blue-eyed woman whose light shone from inside out. She was known for greeting everyone with a ‘hello’ and a bright smile. She enjoyed life and lived it to the fullest, everyday,” her family said.

“She was the life of a party. As a friend, she was faithful, honest and dependable.”

Her hobbies included trips to the casino with her friends and dancing.

Nix was preceded in death by her son, Paris, and grandson, J.P.

She is survived by: her children, Julian, Angelita and Pierrette; grandchildren, Alexis, Brianna, Andrew, Delilah, Savannah, Darren, Paris, Michael, Dominick and Brianna Castro; daughter-in-law, Maggie; sons-in-law, Michael and Darren; sister, Louise Whitmore; nieces, Chick, Linda and Debra; her cousin-sister, Helen Rykard; the father of her children, Elwood; her stepdaughter, Kimberly; her friend, Sonny; friends, Norma, Georgene, Ruby and Liz; and other relatives and friends.

Services were held May 18 at Mt. Zion Baptist Church of Holmesburg, 8101 Erdrick Street. Burial was in White Chapel Memorial Park, Feasterville.

CHEYNEY — Charisse R. Lillie, vice president of Community Investment of Comcast Corporation, was the keynote speaker at Cheyney University’s commencement exercises Saturday at the historic quadrangle on campus. Founded in 1837 as the Institute for Colored Youth, Cheyney University is the oldest of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities in America.

“We are honored to have Ms. Charisse R. Lillie, vice president of Community Investment of Comcast Corporation and president of the Comcast Foundation serving as our 2013 commencement speaker,” said Cheyney University President Michelle Howard-Vital.”This year we celebrate the 176th anniversary of the founding of Cheyney University. Her many accomplishments will inspire our new graduates to aim high as they approach their future.”

Lillie joined Comcast in 2005 as vice president, human resources-Comcast Corporation, and senior vice president, human resources-Comcast Cable. A native of Houston, Texas, she received her B.A. in 1973 from Wesleyan University where she was a cum laude; her J.D. in 1976 from Temple Law School where she made the dean’s honor list; and her LL.M. in 1982 from Yale Law School. She was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Seton Hill University in Greensburg in 2005. In 2011, she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Peirce College.

Lillie’s law practice included the representation of employers and management in a wide variety of labor and employment matters, primarily in federal court. She served as an advisor to clients on diversity and anti discrimination issues. She is a frequent lecturer and panelist regarding talent management, recruitment and retention strategies, and diversity. Prior to joining the Comcast Foundation, she was a partner in the law firm of Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, LLP from January 1992 to February 2005. She was chair of the litigation department from 2002 to 2005, and was a member of the employment and labor law group of the firm.

Lillie’s legal experience included positions as a trial attorney; working for the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division; serving as deputy director at Community Legal Services, Inc.; being a professor at Villanova Law School; being an assistant United States attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, as well as serving as general counsel to the Redevelopment Authority of the city of Philadelphia and city solicitor of the city of Philadelphia .

Additionally, Lillie has been a member of many civic commissions, including the Independent Charter Commission, the Philadelphia Criminal Justice Task Force, the MOVE Commission and the Philadelphia Election Reform Task Force. She is a member of the Forum of Executive Women and is the former president of the Board of the Juvenile Law Center .

She is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Howard University, NBC Universal Foundation, The Franklin Institute, the Board of Directors of the American Arbitration Association, the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, and the Board of Governors of the Pyramid Club. She served as a trustee of Friends Select School from 1994 to 2002 and 2003 to 2006. She was also president of the Board of Trustees for two years. Lillie was elected to membership in The Executive Leadership Council in 2008.

Ronald Sharpe was an entrepreneur and mechanic.

He died on Wednesday, May 8, 2013 at Chestnut Hill Hospital. He was 70.

Sharpe was born on June 30, 1942 to Ronald and Bernice Sharpe Sr. in Philadelphia. He graduated from Bok Technical High school in 1961 as a sheet metal technician.

He married his high school sweetheart Patsy Bishop on Oct. 6, 1939.

Sharpe enjoyed his newsstands and many business endeavors. He also enjoyed rebuilding 55 Chevys and his CB radio where he was known as the Boogie KDQ6639. Sharpe was an honorary Boy Scout and member of the Order of the Arrow and Lenni Lenape.

In addition to his wife, Sharpe is survived by his son Roland Sharpe III; daughters, Beverly, Lynn and Lorie Sharpe and grandchildren, Amira, Kamrie, Roland IV, Raymond and Maxwell Sharpe.

A memorial service will be held May 18 at 9 a.m. at Christ of Calvary Covenant Church, 500 South 61st St. Burial will be in Rolling Green Memorial Park.

Wood Funeral Home handled the arrangements.