Founder Profile
Bruce Thompson
Last reviewed: October 2026 · By Swet Parvadiya
Who is Bruce Thompson?
Bruce Thompson is a founder of Welltower, which was founded in 1970 with Frederic D. Wolfe.
- Company founded
- Welltower
- Founded
- 1970
- Co-founders
- Frederic D. Wolfe
Background
American real estate investor and pioneer.
Founding Story
Bruce Thompson co-founded Welltower (originally Health Care Fund) in 1970 alongside Fritz Boos. Recognizing a massive, untapped opportunity, they essentially invented the entire concept of the healthcare Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT). Thompson realized that hospital operators shouldn't tie up massive amounts of capital owning the physical brick-and-mortar buildings, pioneering the 'sale-leaseback' model in healthcare. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).
Sources
This profile does not yet cite a source specific to Bruce Thompson. The sources below document the company company rather than the person, so check them against the claims above.
- Welltower FY2025 annual report (Welltower)
- Welltower Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results (Welltower)