Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, and Civic Leader

A Lifetime of Leadership

SYSTEMIC IMPACT FOR POSITIVE CHANGE

Kent Thiry has led an incredibly lucky life, and is eager to pay it forward.

Since stepping down as Mayor of the DaVita Village in June 2020, Kent has maintained hands-on involvement in nonprofits and civic groups that primarily focus on renewing our democracy, protecting natural places, jumpstarting economic mobility, developing leadership and culture, and improving healthcare.

The work focuses on positive changes that directly impact individuals and communities. As an architect of good government initiatives, Kent is helping shape public policy so more Americans are included within the democratic process.

All his efforts have one thing in common: They are intended to have a systemic impact.

Kent was CEO of DaVita, a healthcare company providing life-saving kidney care for patients suffering from chronic kidney failure or end stage renal disease, from 1999 to 2019. His unconventional leadership and successful restructuring plan catapulted the company from the brink of bankruptcy to the Fortune 500 list while simultaneously leading the industry in patient clinical outcomes.

Kent Thiry in front of windows overlooking DenverKent’s leadership was highly teammate (or employee) centered. During his tenure at DaVita, which grew to include over 65,000 employees in 12 countries, Kent instituted an unusual array of employee-friendly programs to create a sense of community, offer personal and professional growth opportunities, and ultimately contribute to each teammate realizing their full potential along life’s journey.

Kent, along with his team, transformed the DaVita workplace into a community with shared responsibility, grew revenues 11-fold, and fulfilled his pledge to make DaVita one of the first Fortune 500 companies to have a majority diverse board. As a result, DaVita emerged as the leading clinical innovator in the kidney care community, and leading clinical outcomes in every country it provided care.

DaVita’s success prompted both Harvard and Stanford to write leadership and work culture case studies on the company. Today, DaVita is known for a distinctively engaged work culture and developing well-rounded general managers and leaders. Kent is regularly invited to speak on these subjects at top universities, companies, and not-for-profit leadership groups.

Education

From Stanford to Harvard
Kent graduated with honors in political science from Stanford University, where he was a member of the school’s Phi Beta Kappa chapter. He later earned his MBA, with honors, from Harvard Business School.

Family and freetime

From Wisconsin to Colorado

One of six children, Kent J. Thiry grew up in the small town of Mequon, Wisconsin, with his father, a partner in the information systems division of a large accounting firm, and his mother, who was a stay-at-home mom.

Kent and his wife Denise O’Leary have two adult children, two grandchildren, and live in Colorado.

He is an enthusiastic, though modestly capable, mountain biker and backpacker. He is a Green Bay Packers shareholder and Lambeau Field season-ticket holder for 70+ years. He is also a Denver Broncos fan.

Awards and Recognition

2006 to today
  • Colorado Governor’s Citizenship award for growth and innovation, 2020
  • The International Bridge Builders Award, University of Denver, 2016
  • The Woodrow Wilson Award for Denver Corporate Citizenship, 2013
  • The Ellerin Achievement Award, Harvard Business School Healthcare Alumni Assoc., 2013
  • Modern Healthcare 100 Best Places to Work in Healthcare (DaVita)
  • Military Times ‘Best for Vets’ Employer, 2010-2019 (DaVita)
  • Newsweek Green Rankings, 2009-2018 (DaVita)
  • Training Top 125 – 2004-2020 (DaVita)
  • Becker’s Hospital Review “150 Great Places to work in Healthcare,” 2014-2016
  • Communitas Award, 2020, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2013
  • FORTUNE World’s Most Admired Companies, 2006, 2007, 2009-2020
  • The Denver Post Top Work Places, 2013-2020
  • WorldBlu Freedom- World Blu recognizes companies where employees have an unusually strong voice in providing input and, in DaVita’s case, actual votes. For example, DaVita held an election to select the name of the company, and to select the Core Values. Centered Workplaces™ – 2008-2018
  • Modern Healthcare 100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare [need no. of times]
  • Dow Jones Sustainability Index – 2016, 2018