Humana vs Johnson & Johnson: Founders, CEOs and History
Humana was founded in 1961 by Wendell Cherry, David A. Jones Sr. and is led by James A. (Jim) Rechtin. Johnson & Johnson was founded in 1886 by Robert Wood Johnson, James Wood Johnson, Edward Mead Johnson and is led by Joaquin Duato.
Company facts
Humana
- Founded
- 1961
- Headquarters
- Louisville, Kentucky
- Current CEO
- James A. (Jim) Rechtin
- Employees
- 67,600
Johnson & Johnson
- Founded
- 1886
- Headquarters
- New Brunswick, New Jersey
- Current CEO
- Joaquin Duato
- Employees
- 140,800
Founders
Humana
Wendell Cherry
Wendell Cherry and his law-school classmate David A. Jones Sr. each put in about $1,000 to open the Heritage House nursing home in Louisville in 1961. The venture grew into Extendicare, the largest nursing home chain in the U.S., and went public in 1968.
David A. Jones Sr.
David A. Jones Sr. led Humana through each of its major pivots: from nursing homes (Extendicare) to hospitals in the 1970s, into health plans in the 1980s, and to a pure health benefits company after the 1993 spin-off of its hospitals as Galen Health Care.
Johnson & Johnson
Robert Wood Johnson
Robert Wood Johnson (1845-1910) co-founded Johnson & Johnson in 1886 and served as its first president.
James Wood Johnson
James Wood Johnson (1856-1932) co-founded J&J with his brothers in 1886. An engineer by trade, he designed the early manufacturing machinery that allowed the company to mass-produce sterile surgical dressings.
Edward Mead Johnson
Edward Mead Johnson (1852-1934) co-founded J&J in 1886, bringing crucial sales and marketing expertise to the early business.
CEOs and their tenures
Humana
- Bruce Broussard2013–2024
Former Chief Executive Officer
Broussard led Humana from 2013 to 2024, growing Medicare Advantage membership, creating the CenterWell brand, and completing the 2021 Kindred at Home acquisition.
Source - James A. (Jim) Rechtin2024–present
President and Chief Executive Officer
Under Rechtin, Humana grew Medicare Advantage membership by more than 1 million for 2026 while planning exits covering about 600,000 members for 2027 to restore margins.
Source - Celeste Mellet2025–present
Chief Financial Officer
Appointed CFO in 2023, she manages the severe financial fallout resulting from the US government's unexpected cuts to Medicare Advantage reimbursement rates.
Source
Johnson & Johnson
- Ralph Larsen1989–2002
Former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Larsen's acquisitions, including Neutrogena, Cordis, DePuy, and Centocor, broadened J&J into medical devices and biologics, laying groundwork for today's MedTech segment and immunology franchise.
Source - William Weldon2002–2012
Former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Weldon's later years were overshadowed by a wave of consumer product recalls, including Tylenol and Motrin, tied to manufacturing-quality problems.
Source - Alex Gorsky2012–2022
Former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Gorsky's tenure set up the 2023 Kenvue separation completed under his successor and saw J&J's single-dose COVID-19 vaccine authorized in 2021. He also oversaw the $30 billion Actelion acquisition in 2017 and the early years of talc litigation.
Source - Joaquin Duato2022–present
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Under Duato, J&J's sales reached $94.193 billion in FY2025 with $26.804 billion in net earnings, and the company guides to its first $100 billion year in 2026. He also launched the DePuy Synthes separation and the 2026 talc settlement proposal.
Source
Timeline: Humana and Johnson & Johnson side by side
1886Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson Founded
Robert Wood Johnson, James Wood Johnson, and Edward Mead Johnson found the company in New Brunswick, New Jersey, with 14 employees, to mass-produce sterile surgical dressings after Robert was inspired by antiseptic pioneer Joseph Lister's 1885 warnings about i…
1920Johnson & Johnson
Band-Aid Brand Adhesive Bandages Introduced
J&J introduces the first mass-produced adhesive bandage, sold under the Band-Aid brand starting in 1921; it becomes one of the most recognized consumer-health brands in the world before J&J later spins its consumer division out as Kenvue in 2023.
1943Johnson & Johnson
Robert Wood Johnson II Writes 'Our Credo'
Chairman Robert Wood Johnson II authors 'Our Credo,' a one-page statement ranking the company's responsibilities to customers, employees, communities, and shareholders in that order; it remains J&J's official governing philosophy and was later cited as the bas…
1944Johnson & Johnson
J&J Goes Public
Johnson & Johnson lists publicly, becoming an independent, market-traded company as it expands into a diversified healthcare business under Chairman Robert Wood Johnson II.
1961Humana
Heritage House Opens
Lawyers David A. Jones Sr. and Wendell Cherry opened a nursing home in Louisville, the start of the company that became Humana.
1968Humana
Extendicare IPO
The nursing home company, then called Extendicare, went public and became the largest U.S. nursing home chain.
1974Humana
Renamed Humana
After shifting from nursing homes to hospitals, the company adopted the Humana name.
1982Johnson & Johnson
Tylenol Cyanide Poisonings and Nationwide Recall
After seven people in the Chicago area die from cyanide-laced Extra-Strength Tylenol capsules, J&J issues a nationwide recall of 31 million bottles within a week -- far beyond what investigators said was necessary -- citing Our Credo's customer-safety priority…
1993Humana
Hospitals Spun Off
Humana spun off its hospitals as Galen Health Care, leaving a pure health benefits company.
2012Humana
Acquired Arcadian Management Services
Humana acquired Arcadian Management Services. Humana acquired Arcadian, a Medicare Advantage plan operator, to add membership in several states.
2012Johnson & Johnson
Alex Gorsky Becomes CEO
Gorsky succeeds William Weldon as CEO amid a period of manufacturing-quality recalls, and spends the next decade restoring J&J's operational reputation while expanding the pharmaceutical and MedTech businesses and developing a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine duri…
2017Humana
Aetna Merger Blocked
A federal judge blocked Aetna's roughly $37 billion acquisition of Humana; Aetna paid Humana a $1 billion breakup fee.
2021Humana
Full Ownership of Kindred at Home
Humana bought the 60% of Kindred at Home it did not already own, later rebranding the home health business under CenterWell.
2022Johnson & Johnson
Joaquin Duato Becomes CEO
Duato becomes CEO in January 2022, later adding the chairman title, and begins preparing the separation of J&J's consumer-health business from its medicine and device operations.
2023Johnson & Johnson
Kenvue Separation
J&J completes the spinoff of its consumer-health business (Band-Aid, Tylenol, Listerine, Neutrogena) as the standalone public company Kenvue, narrowing J&J around its higher-margin Innovative Medicine and MedTech segments.
2024Humana
Jim Rechtin Becomes CEO
Jim Rechtin, who joined as President and COO in January 2024, succeeded Bruce Broussard as CEO in July 2024.
2025Humana
$129.7B FY2025 Revenue
Humana reported $129.66B in revenue and $1.19B in net income, and completed its exit from employer-group commercial medical coverage.
2025Johnson & Johnson
FY2025 Sales of $94.193B
Johnson & Johnson reports $94.193 billion in sales and $26.804 billion in net earnings, split roughly 64% Innovative Medicine and 36% MedTech, both segments growing about 6% year over year.
2025Johnson & Johnson
Orthopaedics Separation Announced
In October 2025 J&J announced plans to separate its orthopaedics business as a standalone company operating as DePuy Synthes, targeting completion in 2027.
2026Humana
Medicare Advantage Surge and 2027 Pullback
Humana added more than 1 million MA members for 2026, reported Q2 revenue of $40.89B, and said it will exit plans covering about 600,000 members for 2027.
2026Johnson & Johnson
Proposed Talc Resolution and Raised Guidance
J&J raised 2026 sales guidance to about $101.1 billion after Q2 sales of $25.31 billion, and on July 27, 2026 proposed an estimated $5.5 billion resolution of remaining ovarian talc claims.
Acquisitions
Johnson & Johnson
- Intra-Cellular Therapies2025$14.6B
- Shockwave Medical2024$13.1B
- Kenvue separation2023Undisclosed
- Abiomed2022$16.6B
- Actelion2017$30B
Questions about Humana vs Johnson & Johnson
Who is the CEO of Humana Inc. and Johnson & Johnson?
Humana Inc. is led by James A. (Jim) Rechtin and Johnson & Johnson is led by Joaquin Duato. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Humana Inc. founded vs Johnson & Johnson?
Johnson & Johnson was founded in 1886 — 75 years before Humana Inc., which was founded in 1961. Johnson & Johnson's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Humana Inc..
How many employees does Humana Inc. have compared to Johnson & Johnson?
Humana Inc. employs approximately 67,600 people, while Johnson & Johnson employs approximately 140,800. Johnson & Johnson has the larger workforce at 140,800 employees, compared to Humana Inc.'s 67,600. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Humana Inc. and Johnson & Johnson headquartered?
Both Humana Inc. and Johnson & Johnson are headquartered in United States, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded Humana Inc. and Johnson & Johnson?
Humana Inc. was founded by Wendell Cherry, David A. Jones Sr.. Johnson & Johnson was founded by Robert Wood Johnson, James Wood Johnson, Edward Mead Johnson.
Which company has a longer operating history — Humana Inc. or Johnson & Johnson?
Johnson & Johnson has been operating for approximately 140 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Humana Inc. has been in operation for around 65 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Humana vs Johnson & Johnson overview