The Wall Street Journal published its inaugural list of Top Board Directors May 18, highlighting two directors who serve on boards at health systems.
The list includes 250 influential directors at publicly traded U.S. companies who are slated to serve on S&P 500 boards throughout 2025. It was developed for the Journal‘s Leadership Institute and uses 2024 data from seven providers across 18 metrics, including board influence and the performance and prominence of the companies.
The ranking also evaluates service on non-S&P 500 boards because some hold multiple board appointments. It is intended to recognize the contributions of outside directors — not executives who also hold board positions — according to the methodology.
Two directors currently serve on boards of health systems:
- Eileen McDonnell, chairperson of King of Prussia, Pa.-based Universal Health Services’ board of trustees, ranked No. 77.
- Michael Michelson, who was appointed independent director of Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare’s board of directors in 2018, ranked No. 222.
Several directors from the boards of pharmaceutical companies and laboratory equipment manufacturers and sellers were recognized, including Pfizer and Eli Lilly. Other recognized directors at healthcare organizations include:
- Michele Hooper, UnitedHealth Group (No. 36)
- Jeffrey Boyd, Oscar Health (No. 150)
- Manuel Kadre, NeueHealth (No. 160)
- Thomas Greco, Centene (No. 212)
- Antonio Neri, Elevance Health (No. 216)
