Leadership Positions

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 Village Network – When a teammate, or a family member, suffered a personal tragedy, other teammates from around the country would contribute money and/or vacation time, and the company would match (typically 2-3x the amount raised) to rescue that family from extreme hardship
• KT Community Foundation – When a group of teammates committed to a service project in their local community, they could apply for a grant from this foundation to purchase the supplies, equipment, whatever was required.  Kent Thiry and Denise O’Leary funded 100% of these grants worldwide.
• KT Family Foundation – Teammates could apply for scholarships for their pre-college children.  The money could be used immediately or saved for college.  Kent J. Thiry and Denise O’Leary funded 100% of these grants.
• DaVita Children’s Foundation – Teammates could apply for scholarships for their college age children.  DaVita funded 100% of these grants.
• Academy – All US teammates, regardless of title or pay, were invited to a two-day session where the Mission, Core Values, and our aspirations were discussed, and self-awareness tools being shared with all. Executives were required to attend. Thousands of teammates attended – for many it was their first business trip in their life.”
• Bridge of Life – A DaVita founded group which did medical missions overseas.
• Tour DaVita – An annual 3-day bike ride dedicated to raising money to fund the Bridges of Life Medical Missions. The company paid all expenses for lower paid teammates. The Ride would raise over $1 million a year for the cause. Regardless of their position in the company, teammates rode side-by-side and slept tent-by-tent to emphasize the Village ethos.
• Shining Stars – Front-line teammates who were role models for clinical excellence and our Core Values were invited to attend the annual Management Retreat, attending all the sessions with management from around the world.
• Night of Honor – Managers who were role models for our Core Values would be honored at an annual dinner, with all senior executives present.
• Profit Sharing – Kent initiated a comprehensive profit-sharing program that covered nearly every teammate across the entire company.
• Reality 101 – Each new executive spent a week working in the front-lines and/or taking the same training course as frontline teammates, in order to build a deep understanding of the work being done, and its challenges.
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