R. Milton Johnson served as the CEO of HCA Healthcare from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2018. Before stepping into the CEO role, he was the President and CFO since February 2011, and he has a long history with...

R. Milton Johnson served as the CEO of HCA Healthcare from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2018. Before stepping into the CEO role, he was the President and CFO since February 2011, and he has a long history with the company, starting in 1998. His leadership is significant, not only because he guided one of the largest healthcare companies in the U.S., but also because he worked hard to align executive pay with company performance. In 2018, he earned a total compensation of over $21 million, which included a strong performance bonus and vested stock options. He personally owned about 881,823 shares in HCA, which shows his commitment to the company's success. Johnson focused on maintaining quality patient care as a key performance metric, making sure that the welfare of patients wasn't lost while chasing profits. After retirement, he continued with HCA as Chairman until the yearly stockholder meeting in 2019, showcasing a smooth transition in leadership. Overall, Johnson's experience and strategic thinking led HCA through important growth while ensuring the company balanced profitability with patient care quality.