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Humana vs Volkswagen: Founders, CEOs and History

Humana was founded in 1961 by Wendell Cherry, David A. Jones Sr. and is led by James A. (Jim) Rechtin. Volkswagen was founded in 1937 by Ferdinand Porsche and is led by Oliver Blume.

Company facts

Humana

Founded
1961
Headquarters
Louisville, Kentucky
Current CEO
James A. (Jim) Rechtin
Employees
67,600

Volkswagen

Founded
1937
Headquarters
Wolfsburg, Germany
Current CEO
Oliver Blume
Employees
663,000

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.

Humana founders in full

Volkswagen

  • Ferdinand Porsche

    Ferdinand Porsche (1875-1951) was an Austrian-born automotive engineer who had worked for Lohner, Austro-Daimler and Daimler-Benz before opening his own design office in Stuttgart in 1931.

Volkswagen founders in full

CEOs and their tenures

Humana

  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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
Humana CEO history in full

Volkswagen

  1. Hermann Münch1946–1947

    Chief Executive Officer

    Early executive involved in the incredibly complex immediate post-war administration of the completely destroyed factory under British military control.

    Source
  2. Heinrich Nordhoff1948–1968

    Chief Executive Officer

    The absolute legendary post-war architect who took the ruins of the VW factory and transformed the Beetle into a massive, globally beloved cultural icon and economic miracle.

    Source
  3. Kurt Lotz1968–1971

    Chief Executive Officer

    Early post-war leader who began the critical process of diversifying VW's lineup beyond relying entirely on a single model (the Beetle).

    Source
  4. Rudolf Leiding1971–1975

    Chief Executive Officer

    Crucial CEO who managed the extremely difficult, highly risky transition away from the iconic but severely outdated Beetle toward modern, front-wheel-drive water-cooled cars (like the Golf).

    Source
  5. Toni Schmücker1975–1982

    Chief Executive Officer

    Guided the company through the severe financial crises of the 1970s, ensuring the successful launch and massive adoption of the original VW Golf.

    Source
  6. Carl Hahn1982–1993

    Chief Executive Officer

    As CEO in the 1980s, he executed the massive, highly strategic acquisitions of SEAT and Skoda, laying the foundation for VW's absolute dominance in Europe.

    Source
  7. Ferdinand Piëch1993–2002

    Chief Executive Officer

    As the legendary, absolutely ruthless patriarch (and grandson of Ferdinand Porsche), he transformed VW from a struggling mass-market brand into the most powerful automotive conglomerate on Earth.

    Source
  8. Bernd Pischetsrieder2002–2006

    Chief Executive Officer

    Serving as CEO from 2002 to 2006, he oversaw the incredibly complex integration of massive luxury brands like Bugatti and Bentley into the VW Group portfolio.

    Source
  9. Martin Winterkorn2007–2015

    Chief Executive Officer

    As the notoriously demanding, absolutely feared CEO, he oversaw massive global expansion but fostered a culture of absolute terror that led engineers to cheat rather than admit failure.

    Source
  10. Matthias Müller2015–2018

    Chief Executive Officer

    As CEO during the darkest period in modern VW history, he initiated the massive cultural purge of the toxic, highly secretive engineering culture that caused the cheating scandal.

    Source
  11. Herbert Diess2018–2022

    Chief Executive Officer

    Serving as CEO, he forcefully dragged the massive, highly bureaucratic legacy automaker into the Tesla era, though his abrasive style alienated the powerful Porsche-Piëch families.

    Source
  12. Oliver Blume2022–present

    Chairman of the Board of Management

    He also ran Porsche AG alongside the group role until Michael Leiters took over as Porsche CEO on January 1, 2026, leaving Blume focused on Volkswagen Group.

    Source
Volkswagen CEO history in full

Timeline: Humana and Volkswagen side by side

  1. 1937Volkswagen

    Volkswagen founded

    Volkswagen was founded under the German Labour Front as part of a state-directed people's car program.

  2. 1945Volkswagen

    Wolfsburg restarted

    British military administration helped restart peacetime production at Wolfsburg after World War II.

  3. 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.

  4. 1965Volkswagen

    Audi foundation added

    Volkswagen acquired Auto Union from Daimler-Benz, creating the foundation for modern Audi.

  5. 1968Humana

    Extendicare IPO

    The nursing home company, then called Extendicare, went public and became the largest U.S. nursing home chain.

  6. 1974Humana

    Renamed Humana

    After shifting from nursing homes to hospitals, the company adopted the Humana name.

  7. 1974Volkswagen

    Golf production begins

    The Golf gave Volkswagen a modern front-engine, front-wheel-drive compact platform after the Beetle era.

  8. 1993Humana

    Hospitals Spun Off

    Humana spun off its hospitals as Galen Health Care, leaving a pure health benefits company.

  9. 2012Humana

    Acquired Arcadian Management Services

    Humana acquired Arcadian Management Services. Humana acquired Arcadian, a Medicare Advantage plan operator, to add membership in several states.

  10. 2012Volkswagen

    Porsche consolidated

    Porsche became a controlled sport-luxury profit anchor within Volkswagen Group.

  11. 2015Volkswagen

    Matthias Müller becomes CEO

    Matthias Müller became CEO of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft in 2015. Chief executive of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft from 2015 to 2018.

  12. 2015Volkswagen

    Emissions Scandal

    US regulators accused Volkswagen in September 2015 of fitting diesel cars with software that cheated emissions tests.

  13. 2017Humana

    Aetna Merger Blocked

    A federal judge blocked Aetna's roughly $37 billion acquisition of Humana; Aetna paid Humana a $1 billion breakup fee.

  14. 2018Volkswagen

    Herbert Diess becomes CEO

    Herbert Diess became CEO of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft in 2018. Chief executive of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft from 2018 to 2022.

  15. 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.

  16. 2022Volkswagen

    Oliver Blume becomes chairman

    Oliver Blume became chairman of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft in 2022. He also ran Porsche AG alongside the group role until Michael Leiters took over as Porsche CEO on January 1, 2026, leaving Blume focused on Volkswagen Group.

  17. 2024Humana

    Jim Rechtin Becomes CEO

    Jim Rechtin, who joined as President and COO in January 2024, succeeded Bruce Broussard as CEO in July 2024.

  18. 2024Volkswagen

    Rivian software joint venture

    Volkswagen and Rivian launched a software joint venture targeting next-generation electrical architecture.

  19. 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.

  20. 2025Volkswagen

    Revenue reaches ~$364B (EUR321.9B)

    Volkswagen reported ~$364 billion (EUR321.9 billion) in sales revenue, ~$10.1 billion (EUR8.9 billion) in operating result, and 8.984 million deliveries.

  21. 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.

Acquisitions

Humana

  • Kindred at Home2021$5.7B
  • Arcadian Management Services2012Undisclosed
All Humana acquisitions

Volkswagen

  • Porsche AG2012Undisclosed
  • Bentley Motors1998Undisclosed
  • Auto Union / Audi1965Undisclosed
All Volkswagen acquisitions

Questions about Humana vs Volkswagen

Who is the CEO of Humana Inc. and Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft?

Humana Inc. is led by James A. (Jim) Rechtin and Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft is led by Oliver Blume. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.

When was Humana Inc. founded vs Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft?

Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft was founded in 1937 — 24 years before Humana Inc., which was founded in 1961. Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft'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 Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft?

Humana Inc. employs approximately 67,600 people, while Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft employs approximately 663,000. Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft has the larger workforce at 663,000 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 Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft headquartered?

Humana Inc. is headquartered in United States and Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft is headquartered in Germany. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.

Who founded Humana Inc. and Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft?

Humana Inc. was founded by Wendell Cherry, David A. Jones Sr.. Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft was founded by Ferdinand Porsche.

Which company has a longer operating history — Humana Inc. or Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft?

Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft has been operating for approximately 89 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 Volkswagen overview

Content is for informational purposes only. Not financial advice. Data sourced from SEC filings, annual reports, and public records. See our full disclaimer and methodology.