Leadership Positions

Kent, along with his team, transformed the DaVita workplace into a community with shared responsibility, grew revenues 11-fold, and fulfilled their 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 delivered the best 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 community contribution) to assist in moments of 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 were invited to a two-day session to discuss DaVita’s mission and values as well their personal and professional aspirations. They also received tools to improve self-awareness. For many, it was their first-ever business trip.
• Bridge of Life – A DaVita-founded group that performed medical missions overseas.
• Tour DaVita – An annual 3-day bike ride dedicated to raising money to fund the Bridge of Life medical missions. The company paid all expenses for lower-paid teammates. The Tour raised more than $1 million a year for the cause. Teammates rode side-by-side and slept tent-by-tent to emphasize the Village ethos.
• Shining Stars – Frontline teammates who were role models for clinical excellence and our Core Values were invited to attend the annual management retreat, participating in all sessions with management from around the world.
• Night of Honor – Managers who were role models for our Core Values were honored at an annual dinner, with all senior executives present.
• Profit Sharing – Kent initiated a comprehensive profit-sharing program that included nearly every teammate across the entire company.
• Reality 101 – Each new executive spent a week working in the front lines or taking the same training courses as frontline teammates, in order to foster a deeper understanding of the work being done and its challenges.