delivery, a move that proved to be prescient as that model would control over 85% of the market by 1996. Melani was appointed named vice president of strategic business development and health services of the new joint company. During this time, Blue Cross of Western Pennsylvania merged with Harrisburg's Pennsylvania Blue Shield, which proved to be administratively difficult to manage and saw significant operating losses for some time. The company was re-christened Highmark The company's expansion continued as the company continued to purchase practices and companies as a hedge against the rival and tenuous partner University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). In 2002, UPMC threatened to withdraw from the Highmark network, a huge disruption in service for Western Pennsylvania. Melani personally negotiated a 10-year deal with UPMC to remain in the Highmark network. The deal catapulted Melani to the position CEO of Highmark in 2003. He remained at "war" with UPMC for the remainder of his time at Highmark. In 2008, Melani led an effort to merge Highmark with Philadelphia's Independence Blue Cross. Melani was slated to be CEO of the new joint company and it 26,000 employees, 7 million policyholders, and a total of $24 billion in operations. The merger plan was abandoned after state regulators made approval contingent on requirement that Highmark deemed unfeasible. Melani then initiated Highmark's successful effort in acquiring West Penn Allegheny Health System, another Western Pennsylvania health provider, as a bulwark against rival UPMC. Amid the battle between the two insurers, Melani and UPMC CEO Jeffrey Romoff had a high level of personal animosity. Personal issues and termination from Highmark On March 25, 2012, Melani was involved in a domestic dispute in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. On April 1, 2012, his employment with Highmark was terminated. He was charged with criminal trespass and simple assault and went on an unpaid leave of absence from Highmark. The incident had an immediate impact on Highmark, as it had come amid the controversial attempt to acquire West Penn. Even Moody's Investors Service downgraded Highmark's credit rating. With respect to Melani's ongoing feud with UPMC, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said "When the story became public, you could almost hear the gleeful scorn emanating from UPMC corporate suites...and now the good doctor has handed (UPMC President) Mr. Romoff another arrow for his "get Highmark" quiver." A few months after Melani's termination, his replacement worked out a long-sought deal with UPMC to last