Scott Lynch grew up in Cedar Rapids and graduated from Prairie High School. On a recommendation from John Oertel, Lynch came to NIACC and played football for the Trojans. NIACC provided a good foundation for Lynch who lived in the dorms.

Lynch graduated from NIACC in 1982. He also holds an associate’s degree from Kirkwood, a bachelor’s degree from Mount Mercy and a law degree from Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles, California.

Lynch is the senior vice president and chief legal officer for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross), a position he’s held since joining the company in 2007. Lynch’s responsibilities include management of all Blue Cross legal services as well as compliance, audit, risk management, pharmacy management and the consumer service center. He also served as the interim president and chief executive officer from July through December 2012.

Lynch began his career as an insurance and litigation attorney at the Minneapolis firm of Oppenheimer, Wolff and Donnelly. Prior to joining Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, Lynch served as senior vice president, general counsel and chief compliance officer for Prime Therapeutics and vice president and general counsel and vice president and chief compliance officer at Novartis Nutrition Corporation.

Lynch is licensed to practice law in Minnesota and California. He is currently a member, of the board of trustees of Mount Mercy University, serves on the board of directors for Availity, LLC, and Memorial Blood Centers, where he serves as chair of the human resources committee. In addition, Lynch serves as the chairman of the board of directors of ClearStone Solutions

Scott is married to Michelle Lynch, also an attorney. They have two children.

Pathways to Success Student Leaders

First row from left – Megan Thompson (Mason City), Hannah Wendel (Mason City), DeeDee Dokken (Kensett), Kaylah Godfrey (Mason City), Breanne Chapman (Belmond), Kendra Becker (Lena, IL), Elvira Cavazos (Hampton), Pauline Walker (Mason City), Savannah Lentz (Cresco), Theresa Corell (Manly), Laurie McBride (Mason City), Mandy Riedel (Belmond), Alexandra Seibert (Clear Lake)

Second row from left – Cole Borchardt (Mason City), Kaitlyn Fox (Mason City), Riley Stallsmith (Mason City), Tim Bradbury (Nora Springs), Kylie Whitehurst (Clear Lake), Lincoln Boehmer (Lake Mills), Megan Bull (Manly), Benito Demas Hernandez (Hampton), Georgina Wirth (Morphett Vale, Australia), Vincent Dowdell (Mason City), Chase Lester (Clear Lake), Emily Gerdts (Clear Lake), Natalie Wedemeier (Clear Lake), Evan Jenkins (Lakeville, MN)

Third row from left – John Christianson (Mason City), Nathan Aitchison (Britt), Levi Meyer (Glenville, MN), Trudy Peterson (Clear Lake), Emily Dodd (Mason City), Kaid Bruce (Northwood), Karlie Niedert (Independence), Timothy Dirksen (Plymouth), Channing Wunsch (Mason City)

Fourth row from left – Rachel Bormann (Mason City), Cody Marks (Plainfield, IL), Jacob DeLawyer (Joice), Sean Payne (Mason City), Tyler Randall (Osage), Chaden Riles (Lake Mills), Brett Halvorson (Northwood), Derek Counsell (Orchard), Rachel Bown (Reinbeck), Joy Miller (Joice), Christopher Kuhlers (Clear Lake), Angus Fischer (Adelaide, Australia), Maggi Brown (Osage).

Not pictured – Brian Barkeman (Clear Lake), Thomas Burdick (Lake Mills), Amber Carter (Nashua), Juan Jose De LaCruz Cuevas (New York, NY), Rose Anne Huffman (Osage), Ryan Huntington (Oranjestad, Aruba), Evan Jenkins (Lakeville, MN), Austin LaDoux (Hastings, MN), Daniel Loats (Eden Prairie, MN), Lindsey Mason (Belmond), Jennifer Onofrio (Mason City), Christian Staudt (Clarion), John Suter (Mason City), Gregory Welp (Ventura), Malique Ziegler (Des Moines).

NIACC Women’s Softball players awardees from left to right – Katie LaBuda (Menomonie, WI), Sara Steinman (Algona), Sammie Sproul (Waterloo), Lexy Pederson (Mason City), Sara Tefft (Mason City), Lindsey Mason (Belmond), and Tricia Notermann (Mason City).