Kent Thiry is the 2011 recipient of the Invisible Disabilities Association Healthcare Honors Award. Kent has been chosen based upon his desire and passion to provide leadership in healthcare awareness, education and dialysis services for all Americans impacted by kidney disease and Diabetes while serving as the Chairman and CEO of Davita.
Kent Thiry is the Chairman and CEO of DaVita Inc. DaVita Inc. delivers dialysis services and education to patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. As of June 30, 2011, DaVita operated or provided administrative services at more than 2,400 locations, serving approximately 131,000 patients. DaVita develops, participates in and donates to numerous programs dedicated to transforming communities and creating positive, sustainable change for children, families and our environment. The company’s leadership development initiatives and corporate social responsibility efforts have been recognized by Fortune, Modern Healthcare, Newsweek and WorldBlu, among others. DaVita serves approximately one in three dialysis patients in the U.S.
In the 11 years since he became CEO, Total Renal Care, a once-ailing healthcare company on the brink of bankruptcy, transformed into DaVita, a $6.5 billion Fortune 500 industry leader recognized as one of the top healthcare companies to work for and provider of high-quality care for patients with chronic kidney disease and end stage renal disease in the U.S.
Kent was previously the chairman and CEO of Vivra Specialty Partners, a privately held health care services and technology firm. Vivra Specialty Partners primary business was to aggregate and manage specialty physician networks for national health insurers. Information technology assets were developed and used to educate physicians regarding best practice standards. Kent joined Vivra, a NYSE healthcare service company, as president in 1991. He was then appointed as CEO in 1992. Vivra was a provider of renal dialysis and other healthcare services and was acquired by Gambro, a European corporation, for $1.6 billion in cash in 1997. Prior to Vivra, Kent was associated with Bain & Company, first as a Consultant, and then served as Vice President of U.S. Health Care Consulting.
Kent received a B.A. in Political Science with distinction and Phi Beta Kappa from Stanford University and an MBA with Honors from Harvard Business School.
Kent also has an extensive list of affiliations:
- Founder and Chair of Renal Leadership Council (now The Kidney Care Council): 1995
- Chairman of Oxford Health Plans: 2002
- Chairman of Kidney Care Partners: 2004-2006, 2008-2010
- Chairman of The Kidney Care Council: 2002-2004
- Member of World President’s Organization (executive leaders that combine corporate responsibility and personal public service to make significant contributions in their communities): 2005 – present
- Member of the Harvard Business School Board of Advisors: 2008 – present
- Member of the Trust for Public Land Board of Directors: 2008-present
- Member of the University of Colorado Business School Advisory Board: 2009 – present
- Member of the Colorado Forum (a non-partisan group of state business leaders): 2009 – Present
Finally, Kent is a recognized leader and has received as the CEO of Davita many awards including the following:
- Adaptive Business Leader (ABL) 2005 Leadership in Innovation Award
- Fortune World’s Most Admired Companies for five consecutive years (2006-2010), ranking #1 in Health Care Medical Facilities overall and in several individual categories in 2010
- Fortune Top Companies for Leaders in 2009, ranking 18th in North America
- Institutional Investor list of best CEOs, ranking #2 among Health Care Facilities
- WorldBlu Most Democratic Work Places in 2008-2010, 1st and only Fortune 500® and healthcare company
- Training Magazine’s Training Top 125 list six years in a row (2005-2010) for employee training programs
- Modern Healthcare Best Places to Work in Healthcare in 2008, ranking #66 and only nationwide healthcare services company on list
- Best Places to Work in Colorado, Philadelphia, Nashville, Los Angeles and Pierce County, Wash.
- G.I. Jobs Top 100 Military Friendly Employers in 2010, of more than 5,000 companies
- Newsweek Green Rankings, recognized as only kidney care services provider on the inaugural 2009 list
- Modern Healthcare 100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare, 23rd in 2008 and 73rd in 2009
- Stanford Business School Professor Jeffrey Pfeffer case study, “Kent Thiry and DaVita: Leadership Challenges in Building a Great Company”
- The Wall Street Journal, Modern Healthcare, the New York Times and various Business Journals
- Speaking engagements at YPO, Bain, Accenture, Abbott, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Nashville Health Council, KPMG, Stanford, Harvard, Northwestern, the University of Michigan and other institutions
- Outstanding Achievement in Business and Industry Award, presented by the University Kidney Research Organization (2008)
- American Kidney Fund Excellence in Leadership Award (2010)