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.
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.
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
Volkswagen
- 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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
Timeline: Humana and Volkswagen side by side
1937Volkswagen
Volkswagen founded
Volkswagen was founded under the German Labour Front as part of a state-directed people's car program.
1945Volkswagen
Wolfsburg restarted
British military administration helped restart peacetime production at Wolfsburg after World War 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.
1965Volkswagen
Audi foundation added
Volkswagen acquired Auto Union from Daimler-Benz, creating the foundation for modern Audi.
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.
1974Volkswagen
Golf production begins
The Golf gave Volkswagen a modern front-engine, front-wheel-drive compact platform after the Beetle era.
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.
2012Volkswagen
Porsche consolidated
Porsche became a controlled sport-luxury profit anchor within Volkswagen Group.
2015Volkswagen
Matthias Müller becomes CEO
Matthias Müller became CEO of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft in 2015. Chief executive of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft from 2015 to 2018.
2015Volkswagen
Emissions Scandal
US regulators accused Volkswagen in September 2015 of fitting diesel cars with software that cheated emissions tests.
2017Humana
Aetna Merger Blocked
A federal judge blocked Aetna's roughly $37 billion acquisition of Humana; Aetna paid Humana a $1 billion breakup fee.
2018Volkswagen
Herbert Diess becomes CEO
Herbert Diess became CEO of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft in 2018. Chief executive of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft from 2018 to 2022.
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.
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.
2024Humana
Jim Rechtin Becomes CEO
Jim Rechtin, who joined as President and COO in January 2024, succeeded Bruce Broussard as CEO in July 2024.
2024Volkswagen
Rivian software joint venture
Volkswagen and Rivian launched a software joint venture targeting next-generation electrical architecture.
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.
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.
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
Volkswagen
- Porsche AG2012Undisclosed
- Bentley Motors1998Undisclosed
- Auto Union / Audi1965Undisclosed
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