Humana vs Walmart: Founders, CEOs and History
Humana was founded in 1961 by Wendell Cherry, David A. Jones Sr. and is led by James A. (Jim) Rechtin. Walmart was founded in 1962 by Sam Walton and is led by John Furner.
Company facts
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.
Walmart
Sam Walton
Sam Walton opened the first Walmart Discount City in Rogers, Arkansas in 1962 and built the company around low prices, low costs, and its own distribution network. He served as CEO until 1988 and remained chairman until his death in 1992.
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
Walmart
- Sam Walton1962–1988
Founder and CEO
Founded Walmart and set its low-price, low-cost operating approach.
Source - Doug McMillon2014–2026
Former President and CEO
Led Walmart's push into ecommerce, marketplace, advertising, and store-fulfilled delivery, and oversaw the Jet.com, Flipkart, and VIZIO deals.
Source - Greg Penner2015–present
Chairman of the Board
He successfully managed the transition of corporate leadership to Doug McMillon and actively oversees the Walton family's controlling stake in the retail giant.
Source - John David Rainey2022–present
Executive Vice President and CFO
As CFO, he aggressively executed multi-billion-dollar share repurchases while funding massive capital expenditures for store remodels and automation.
Source - John Furner2026–present
President and CEO
Became President and CEO on February 1, 2026, succeeding Doug McMillon. He reshaped the executive team with internal promotions in January 2026.
Source - David Guggina2026–present
President and CEO, Walmart U.S.
As head of supply chain operations, he modernized the underlying logistics network that allowed Walmart to successfully compete with Amazon's two-day delivery speeds.
Source
Timeline: Humana and Walmart side by side
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.
1962Walmart
First Walmart Opens
Sam Walton opens the first Walmart Discount City in Rogers, Arkansas.
1968Humana
Extendicare IPO
The nursing home company, then called Extendicare, went public and became the largest U.S. nursing home chain.
1970Walmart
Walmart Goes Public
Walmart sells shares to the public to fund expansion.
1974Humana
Renamed Humana
After shifting from nursing homes to hospitals, the company adopted the Humana name.
1983Walmart
Sam's Club Launches
The first Sam's Club warehouse club opens in Midwest City, Oklahoma.
1988Walmart
First Supercenter and New CEO
Walmart opens its first supercenter, and David Glass succeeds Sam Walton as CEO.
1993Humana
Hospitals Spun Off
Humana spun off its hospitals as Galen Health Care, leaving a pure health benefits company.
2000Walmart
Lee Scott Becomes CEO
Lee Scott succeeds David Glass as CEO.
2012Humana
Acquired Arcadian Management Services
Humana acquired Arcadian Management Services. Humana acquired Arcadian, a Medicare Advantage plan operator, to add membership in several states.
2014Walmart
Doug McMillon Becomes CEO
Doug McMillon, who started as an hourly associate in 1984, becomes CEO.
2016Walmart
Jet.com Acquisition
Walmart buys Jet.com for about $3.3 billion to strengthen its U.S. ecommerce team.
2017Humana
Aetna Merger Blocked
A federal judge blocked Aetna's roughly $37 billion acquisition of Humana; Aetna paid Humana a $1 billion breakup fee.
2018Walmart
Flipkart Investment
Walmart acquires a majority stake in Flipkart for about $16 billion.
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.
2024Humana
Jim Rechtin Becomes CEO
Jim Rechtin, who joined as President and COO in January 2024, succeeded Bruce Broussard as CEO in July 2024.
2024Walmart
VIZIO Acquisition
Walmart completes its $2.3 billion purchase of smart-TV maker VIZIO to expand its advertising business.
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.
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.
2026Walmart
John Furner Becomes CEO
John Furner succeeds Doug McMillon as President and CEO effective February 1, 2026; David Guggina takes over Walmart U.S.
2026Walmart
Q2 FY27 Results
Walmart reports Q2 FY27 revenue of $187.9 billion, up 5.9%, and raises full-year sales and operating income guidance.
Acquisitions
Questions about Humana vs Walmart
Who is the CEO of Humana Inc. and Walmart Inc.?
Humana Inc. is led by James A. (Jim) Rechtin and Walmart Inc. is led by John Furner. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Humana Inc. founded vs Walmart Inc.?
Humana Inc. was founded in 1961 — 1 year before Walmart Inc., which was founded in 1962. Humana Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Walmart Inc..
How many employees does Humana Inc. have compared to Walmart Inc.?
Humana Inc. employs approximately 67,600 people, while Walmart Inc. employs approximately 2,100,000. Walmart Inc. has the larger workforce at 2,100,000 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 Walmart Inc. headquartered?
Both Humana Inc. and Walmart Inc. are headquartered in United States, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded Humana Inc. and Walmart Inc.?
Humana Inc. was founded by Wendell Cherry, David A. Jones Sr.. Walmart Inc. was founded by Sam Walton.
Which company has a longer operating history — Humana Inc. or Walmart Inc.?
Humana Inc. has been operating for approximately 65 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Walmart Inc. has been in operation for around 64 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 Walmart overview