Julia Everett was a former Head Start teacher.

Everett died on Monday, May 13, 2013. She was 88.

She was born July 30, 1924, to the late Hilliard and Jenny McKay in Cheraw, S.C. She was the youngest girl of their 10 children.

She was educated in the South Carolina School System. She attended Laurinburg High School and received her degree from Coalter College in Cheraw, S.C.

She married James Everett Jr. on Dec. 22. 1942, and their union lasted for 70 years. The couple had four children. They traveled the world to places such as Spain, Hawaii, North Africa and all over the Caribbean.

In 1951, the Everetts decided to move their family to Philadelphia.

Everett worked as a seamstress and enjoyed making beautiful garments for others to wear. She was very involved in her children’s school activities and educational programs. She worked at Saint Teresa Grammar School as a Cub Scout mother.

Everett attended Temple University where she received her early childhood education degree. She worked in Philadelphia public school’s system as a Head Start teacher for 15 years, until she retired at the age of 65 to raise her grandchildren.

She became a member of Rising Sun Baptist Church in 1981 where she served as a president deaconess, member of the senior choir, Mass choir, Sunday school and president of the Trustee’s Aid.

“Everyone respected and admired her and her passion to worship Christ,” her family said.

“Julia was an incredible, outstanding, and loyal wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was very kind-hearted, honest and very lovable.”

She was preceded in death by her daughter Sondra Johnson.

In addition to her husband, Everett is survived by her children, James Everett III, Stephanie Cain, Stephen Everett, Theresa Lowery and Lorraine Williams; grandchildren, Janelle, Sharelle, Ivy, Chondra, Abdulla, Nastasha, Rasheeda, Garnell, De’Anna, Shavawn and Taryn; great-grandchildren, Garnell Jr., Zainab, Brandon, Zeca, Gabrielle, Da’Jah and Gianna; friends; Edward and Velvetta Bolden, Freddie and Gloria Dibble, James and Kathrin Scott and other relatives and friends.

Services will be held May 25 at Rising Sun Baptist Church, 745 South 12th St. Viewing is at 8 a.m. Services will follow at 10 a.m. Burial is in Fernwood Cemetery, 6501 Baltimore Ave., Lansdowne.

Independence Blue Cross has announced strong financial results for 2012.

IBC officials reported a net profit margin of 1.8 percent and a net after-tax income of $191.1 million.

The company attributes these results to strategic partnerships, innovation and strategic financial investments. This marks the third consecutive year of positive results for IBC.

“Even with a modest 1.8 percent margin, Independence Blue Cross remained financially strong in 2012, allowing us to continue serving our customers’ needs, enhancing the quality of care and lowering costs. This very solid financial year, allowed us to invest in innovation to stay positioned as a leading Blue,” Alan Krigstein, IBC’s executive vice president and chief financial officer said during a press call held Thursday morning.

In 2012, IBC recorded a net income of $191.5 million on $10.5 billion in revenue, compared to a net income of $314.8 million on $9.2 billion in revenue in 2011.

Krigstein said the decline of about $124 million in net income for 2012 was due to two factors — IBC’s purchase of AmeriHealth Caritas, a Medicaid subsidiary and a million investment in a new operating platform.

Krigstein said the increase in revenue resulted from the growth in IBC’s portfolio of businesses including its commerical group plans, Medicaid and Medicare advantage products.

Krigstein said that during the past five years, IBC’s average net income after tax was $115 million and its average margin was 1.1 percent.

“Unlike publicly traded health insurers who profits benefit shareholders, we use our net income to respond to our customers’ needs, invest in technology to simplify doing business with us and retain an adequate surplus to weather serious financial downturns or medical crisis,” he said.

During 2012, IBC had a surplus of $2.5 billion which ensures that the company has the resources to pay claims and make investments in business improvements.

IBC officials attributed its 2012 success to multiple factors, including growth across lines of business, new models of care developed collaboratively with physicians and hospitals, and fostering innovation within the industry.

IBC has collaborated with physicians and hospitals to help combat problems in health care, such as rising costs, inconsistent quality, overuse of emergency rooms and frequent hospital admissions for the chronically ill.

“Today we are transforming the way that doctors and hospitals are being compensated, rewarding them for high quality, cost effective care through our innovative accountable care payment model for hospitals and the physicians that they employ,” said IBC President and CEO Daniel Hilferty.

Hilferty said more than 80 percent of the hospitals in the region have joined IBC’s incentive program which rewards hospitals and doctors for improving efficiency, raising the quality of care and ultimately lowering costs.

IBC has also become a national leader in the growth of patient-centered medical homes — models of high-quality, coordinated primary care that keep the chronically ill well. As a result, the percentage of members treated in 2008 in patient-centered medical home practices who had poorly controlled diabetes dropped from 33 to 18 percent by 2012.

To help transform the region into a national magnet for health care innovation, investment and employment, IBC partnered with Penn Medicine and DreamIt Ventures to launch the first-ever, Philadelphia-based health care “accelerator” — DreamIt Health. Ten companies were selected from all over the country to enter into a four-month boot camp in Philadelphia to help rapidly advance the development of their innovative health care start-ups.

In 2012, IBC led the effort with health care technology company Lumeris, Inc. and two of the nation’s leading Blue plans, Highmark and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, to purchase NaviNet, Inc., which has the best available technology for communicating with physicians and linking them easily to Lumeris’ transformative technology.

As a corporate leader, IBC has invested millions in supporting innovative health and wellness initiatives and forward thinking organizations that build the health of the community.

Contact staff writer Ayana Jones at 215-893-5747 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Despite all she’s been through, Pamela Fauntleroy has maintained a positive outlook on life.

Fauntleroy is a cancer patient who is currently receiving treatment at Cancer Treatment Centers of America Eastern Regional Medical Center in Philadelphia. She is one of more than 60 cancer survivors who participated in CTCA’s Celebrate Life event that was held Friday.

The day-long celebration included a dove release ceremony and a private tree planting where a tree is planted for each five-year survivor who completes treatment at CTCA. A ritual was known as “Hope Rounds” was also held, where the survivors and caregivers receive commemorative lapel pins to pass along as a symbol of hope to patients who are currently undergoing treatment at the hospital.

“It’s an overwhelming thing where you feel as though you have accomplished something. It’s like I did five, I can do another five more,” Fauntleroy says of participating in the commemorative celebration.

“It gives you a sense of hope, a sense of pride. You meet other individuals with different types of cancer and you can educate each other. I feel as though we are there for each other, to encourage each other to get strength from each other. When they have this five-year celebration to celebrate our lives, I think that’s a beautiful thing. You get to see people that you started out with and their progression,” said Fauntleroy, who hails from Swedesboro, N.J.

Fauntleroy was only nine years old when her father passed and 21 years old when her mother died at the age of 46. They both passed from cancer.

When Fauntleroy marked her 47th birthday on May 16, she exhaled because it meant that she was one year older than her mother was when she died.

“At this point, I’m thriving, I’m really happy. You really have to have that inner strength - that faith and you can’t let cancer become you. Most people deteriorate quick because they think of cancer as death but it doesn’t have to be. To me it’s a mindset,” she said.

After Fauntleroy had her second son, she felt that something was amiss when she felt a lump in her left breast. Since she had just given birth six months earlier, her doctor told her not to worry about it- that it was most likely the result of milk deposits. She didn’t push the issue and as time progressed, Fauntleroy realized that the lump was getting bigger.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004 at the age of 38.

“My heart just stopped and I was just petrified, being as though my mother and father both passed from cancer,” she said.

Fauntleroy decided to undergo a lumpectomy, chemo and radiation, however the cancer returned before she could complete her reconstructive surgery. She was aggressively treated with chemo for seven months but the therapy did not seem to be working. At the time, she complained to her doctor about feeling like something was wrong. A MRI would later reveal that the cancer had spread to her femur, spine, factum and hip.

Fauntleroy then decided to switch teams and eventually began receiving treatment at CTCA. She has been receiving treatment at the facility for the last five years. She appreciates how the facility caters to her caregivers and having an oncologist who takes the time to answer her questions.

“I think at the Cancer Treatment Center you’re really viewed as a partner and that’s what I like about it. I feel like I’ve become a real empowered patient there and it gives me the strength to want to give other people knowledge. They don’t treat you like you are a number, you are a name there,” she said.

Fauntleroy gives back to CTCA by serving as a mentor and advocate of the hospital through the Patient to Patient Network – a program which connects current patients with those seeking information and opinions about the integrative and personalized treatment plans available at CTCA. She also participates in the center’s Cancer Fighters program – a program which enables her to provide assistance and encouragement to other patients.

As she has undergone treatment throughout the years, Fauntleroy said she was very open with her two sons about the process. Her 11 and 16-year old sons now serve as her caregivers.

“I didn’t want to hide anything from them because that’s what my mother did with me. She kind of shunned that away from us,” said Fauntleroy, who has a background as an inspirational writer.

Fauntleroy’s breast cancer is in remission, however she is still being treated for the cancer that spread to her bones. This week she began another round of 10-day radiation treatment. Despite it all, Fauntleroy has held steadfast to her faith in God.

“I just trust in God and know that he’s going to do what he says. God said ‘I will never leave you, nor forsake you.’ You need faith to go through this,” she said.

Contact staff writer Ayana Jones at 215-893-5747 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

OraSure Technologies, Inc., Walgreens and the Chronic Liver Disease Foundation have teamed up with local health organizations to offer free Hepatitis C testing for National Hepatitis Testing Day.

Hepatitis C is a contagious liver disease that ranges in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness that attacks the liver. The disease is usually spread when blood from a person infected with the hepatitis C virus enters the body of someone who is not infected.

“Today, approximately four million Americans are infected with hepatitis C and the vast majority does not know it,” Dr. Willis C. Maddrey, president of the Chronic Liver Disease Foundation said in a press release.

“However, new therapies are now available that can effectively treat and in some cases eliminate the virus from the body, making testing for HCV – particularly among baby boomers – a critical step in fighting this epidemic.”

HCV testing will be available in select Walgreens locations across 11 states including Pennsylvania in observance of National Hepatitis Testing Day which was observed May 19.

National Hepatitis Testing Day was established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as an opportunity to remind healthcare providers and those individuals at risk that they should be tested for viral hepatitis.

“Hepatitis C is a silent epidemic and these testing events can help make a meaningful impact on prevention, treatment and awareness,” said Glen Pietrandoni, Walgreens senior manager of virology.

“By working collaboratively, we can help educate communities on the risk factors and link people to appropriate care.”

Each participating Walgreens retail pharmacy will offer HCV testing using the OraQuick HCV test which is made by OraSure Technologies.

“Using traditional laboratory testing, individuals typically wait days or weeks before receiving their hepatitis C test results,” said Douglas A. Michels, president and CEO of OraSure Technologies.

“The OraQuick HCV Rapid Test is ideal for use at the point of care – it’s easy, accessible and provides lab-accurate results in 20 minutes – enabling individuals presumed to be infected to be referred immediately for follow-up care.”

Testing will be offered locally on May 21 and May 23 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Walgreens located at 1227 Locust Street and 1101 Locust Street.

The on-site testing, patient education and linkage to follow-up care will be conducted by local health organizations.

The CDC notes that African Americans have a statistically higher rate of chronic hepatitis C infection than other ethnic groups.

People can become infected by hepatitis C by sharing needles, syringes or other equipment to inject drugs; needlestick injuries in healthcare settings and being born to a mother that has hepatitis C. Less commonly, the infection can also be transmitted by sharing personal care items that may have come in contact with an infected person’s blood, such as razors or toothbrushes or having sexual contact with some infected with the virus.

Contact staff writer Ayana Jones at 215-893-5747 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

When the U.S. Small Business Administration Philadelphia District Office honors some of Pennsylvania’s top firms and business advocates, Billy Cromedy will be among them.

Cromedy, president of Advantage Contracting, Inc., a (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) HVAC/sheet metal contractor has garered the SBA’s Minority Small Business of the Year Award.

Cromedy’s firm specializes in the fabrication and installation of sheet metal ductwork primarily used for heating, ventilation and air conditioning in various commercial and industrial applications and provides HVAC equipment for both large and small project needs.

“I’m very humbled and I’m thankful that someone acknowledges what I’ve done and what I continue to do,” said Cromedy, who has been in business for the last nine years.

Cromedy was nominated for the award by Tania Fleming, vice president and commercial lender, MileStone Bank, a financial institution that caters to the needs of businesses and nonprofit organization.

“It was nice to see a young gentleman like him, get ahead and do well. It’s a pleasure to see him get the accolades that he deserves and we’re happy to be a part of his business and celebrate in his success,” said Fleming.

Cromedy expressed appreciation to his banking institution for the nomination.

“Milestone has been very good to me as a young entrepreneur and has been very supportive in what it is I do and to get some recognition from a banking institution is a lot different than someone who is in your direct field. We put in long hours in construction and to get a little recognition is good. It’s something that I don’t take likely,” Cromedy said.

He takes pride in working on high profile projects such as the Comcast Tower and the expansion of the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The contractor is currently working on two significant projects – the 153,000 square foot, $22 million Penn Medicine Washington Square facility located at 8th and Walnut Streets and the $30 million 2.0 University Place project at 30 North 41st Street in West Powelton. The five story office building is being developed by University Place Associates and will be anchored by the General Services Administration.

“I’m very proud to be a part of it because that area of the city is starting to really move and to be built up,” Cromedy says of the 2.0 University Place project.

“You don’t see that many minority contractors in the city be awarded such projects. Those are important projects for me and my organization. It shows what we’re capable of as a contractor.”

Cromedy has built Advantage Contracting into a successful construction firm in a climate that has been rather challenging for African American contractors.

“I think that my track record has spoken for itself over these last couple of years. I pride myself on having an organization that has honest business ethics. We do everything we say we’re going to do. If we make a mistake, we own up to it, but I think sometimes we have to work twice as hard to prove that we belong,” said Cromedy, who is a native of Lancaster, Pa.

Cromedy said his team understands that he is striving to be the best HVAC contractor in the area.

“At the end of the day, the people that work for you have to believe in your vision and what you’re doing and that’s a very hard thing to get people to do. In the field and in the office, they all understand that I’m working towards something that is bigger than me or them,” said Cromedy.

Last December, Cromedy was selected as one of a small group of minority business leaders from around the country to participate in a roundtable meeting at the White House with administration officials. The participants in the roundtable hosted by the White House Business Council discussed the fiscal cliff debate, the president’s budget plan and job creation opportunities.

Headquartered at 5702 Newtown Avenue, Advantage Contracting has about 20 employees.

Cromedy joins six other award winners in being recognized by the SBA. The award winners include, David Mark Wise II, president of G.S. Madison, LLC, the Philadelphia District Small Business Person of the Year; Zeigler Brothers, Inc., Small Business Exporter of the Year; Widener University Small Business Development Center, Small Business Development Center Excellence and Innovation; Gresham’s Chop House, Family-Owned Business of the Year; Ivelisse Alemany, CEO, Markant Corporation, Minority Small Business Person of the Year and Carol Topolski, owner of Plato Closet, Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year.

SBA Philadelphia District Director Dave Dickson said the agency sought award nominations from its lending partners, resource partners, economic development agencies and the business community. Nominees went through a rigorous review process and were vetted at the Washington, D.C. level.

He refers to the small business award winners as “the best of the best.”

“We get nominations from all over the 40 counties of Eastern Pennsylvania and Billy has come up on top. We are very pleased to be able to honor great businesses like this and we hold Billy up to other businesses to say ‘you too can do this.’” Dickson said.

The awards will be presented on June 5 during the SBA Day at the Ballpark event held at 10 a.m. at Chickie’s & Pete’s restaurant, 1526 Packer Avenue.

“As a regional and local recognition of the presidentially designated National Small Business Week award winners, this event is an opportunity to recognize the achievements of small businesses and its advocates in Eastern Pennsylvania,” said SBA Regional Administrator Natalia Olson-Urtecho who will be the event’s keynote speaker.

“Every year the award winners honored at this event have truly distinguished themselves and represent the very best that the eastern Pennsylvania small businesses community has to offer.”

Contact staff writer Ayana Jones at 215-893-5747 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .