A Leader in Dignity

Lloyd Dean (BS '72, Sociology; MA '78, Educational Leadership) is CEO of San Francisco-based Dignity Health. He's friendly with the President of the United States—and with the President of the San Francisco Giants. He is responsible for a complete fiscal turnaround of his company, sits on the board of Wells Fargo—and he's a Bronco.

Although he says he has no interest in it—there were rumors of Dean becoming one of Obama's second term Cabinet members. It wasn't always like that. Growing up, Dean and his family didn't have much. He visited a doctor for the first time in junior high because he needed a physical to play football. He excelled at WMU and became a teacher when he graduated, junior high and an occasional communication course at WMU. He even filled in on WOTV Battle Creek as a 5 a.m. news anchor for a couple of months.

It was at a WMU event that Dean mingled with corporate America and met a top executive at Upjohn. His decision to leave teaching was difficult, but he left to become an assistant regional manager at Upjohn and eventually rose to Executive Vice President for the entire company. Eight years later he took an opportunity to turn around a failing health care system—and succeeded.

Dean was recently featured in Fortune Magazine, a link to the online version of the article can be found below. Follow it to read more about Dean, his successes, and his perspective on a changing healthcare system. 

CNN MONEY — LLOYD DEAN: THE MEDICINE MAN OF DIGNITY HEALTH

Photo from Fortune magazine/ Cody Pickens