Dennis Pullin
DAVITAAbout Dennis W. Pullin
Dennis W. Pullin, 65, is President and CEO of Virtua Health and an independent director of DaVita since 2024. He brings 30+ years of leadership across hospitals, academic medical centers, physician groups, and private industry, with board service on DaVita’s Compliance & Quality and Nominating & Governance Committees . He was appointed in April 2024; his background emphasizes transforming patient experience via technology and value-based care .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| MedStar Harbor Hospital | President | 2009–2017 | Led operations in a community-based healthcare organization |
| MedStar Washington Hospital Center | COO & SVP | 2006–2009 | Senior leadership at the largest private teaching/research hospital in Washington, D.C. |
| CHI St. Luke’s Health (Texas Medical Center) | VP, Operations & Business Development | 2002–2006 | Operations and growth; perspective on patient experience and value-based care |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtua Health | President & CEO | 2017–Present | Academic health system leadership |
| Hillenbrand, Inc. (NYSE: HI) | Director | May 2021–Present | Global diversified industrial company board service |
Board Governance
- Independent director; Board determined eight of nine 2025 nominees (including Pullin) are independent under NYSE and Company standards .
- Committee assignments: Compliance & Quality Committee; Nominating & Governance Committee. Added to Nominating & Governance effective Dec. 12, 2024; not a committee chair .
- Board/committee activity: 26 total Board and Committee meetings in 2024; incumbent directors’ attendance was 97% (individual attendance not separately disclosed) .
- 2025 election vote outcome: For 63,035,553; Against 23,750; Abstain 55,448; Broker non-votes 6,433,536 .
- Executive sessions and leadership: Independent Board Chair presides and convenes regular executive sessions of independent directors .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount/Policy | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board retainer (cash) | $100,000 per year | Paid quarterly; prorated for partial-quarter service |
| Committee chair retainer (cash) | $50,000 per year | For Audit, Compensation, Compliance & Quality, Nominating & Governance chairs; N/A for Pullin (not chair) |
| Independent Board Chair retainer (cash) | $175,000 per year | In addition to standard retainer; N/A for Pullin |
| Meeting fees | $2,500 per special Board or committee meeting | Conditions apply for telephonic meetings |
| Equity (DSIs – direct stock issuance) | $50,000 per quarter in stock | Granted on Mar 15, May 15, Aug 15, Nov 15; prorated for new directors |
2024 director compensation (Pullin):
| Name | Fees Earned/Paid in Cash ($) | Stock Awards ($) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dennis W. Pullin | $77,527 | $95,011 | $172,538 |
Notes:
- Pullin was appointed to the Board on April 10, 2024 and received a prorated quarterly grant on August 15, 2024 .
- As of Dec. 31, 2024, no non-employee director had outstanding equity awards (DSIs are issued as direct stock) .
Performance Compensation
- Non-employee directors do not receive performance-based cash bonuses, options, or PSUs under the Director Compensation Policy; equity is delivered via quarterly DSIs (fixed-value grants converted to shares at market price on grant date) .
- Grant schedule for DSIs (all directors): March 15, May 15, August 15, November 15, prorated for new directors; Pullin’s first prorated grant occurred on August 15, 2024 .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Relationship to DaVita | Interlock/Conflict Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Hillenbrand, Inc. | No disclosed commercial relationship with DaVita | No related-person transactions or conflict disclosed involving Pullin |
The Board reviewed commercial relationships for certain directors (Cardinal Health and Labcorp) and found no independence compromises; no such relationships are disclosed for Pullin .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Board skills matrix identifies Pullin’s competencies in Strategic Initiatives/M&A, Risk Management, Finance/Capital Management/Accounting, Technology/Digital Transformation, Healthcare Provider/Payor, and Human Capital Management .
- Brings unique perspective on patient experience transformation via technology and value-based care .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % Outstanding |
|---|---|---|
| Dennis W. Pullin | 961 | <1% |
- Director share ownership policy requires holding at least the lesser of five times the annual Board cash retainer ($500,000 for 2024) or 25% of pretax equity award value realized over time (above $100,000); as of Dec. 31, 2024 all non-employee directors complied (policy applies to Pullin) .
- Hedging prohibited for all directors; pledging prohibited for directors and executives .
Governance Assessment
- Alignment: Independent status, strong Board/committee engagement (97% aggregate attendance), and quarterly equity grants support shareholder alignment .
- Ownership discipline: Director ownership policy and anti-hedging/anti-pledging restrictions enhance “skin-in-the-game” and risk control .
- Compensation prudence: Director pay structure emphasizes fixed retainer plus quarterly DSIs; no director options or performance grants; meeting fees only for special sessions, limiting pay inflation .
- Shareholder signals: 2025 say-on-pay approved (59,322,425 For; 3,527,754 Against; 264,572 Abstain), indicating support for compensation governance; director election support for Pullin was strong (63,035,553 For) .
Potential conflicts and RED FLAGS:
- Related-party transactions: No transactions disclosed involving Pullin; Berkshire repurchase agreement is a related-person item but not tied to Pullin .
- Section 16 compliance: Delinquent filings in 2024 cited for other insiders (Yale and Hearty), not Pullin .
- Hedging/pledging: Prohibited by policy, reducing misalignment risk .
- Committee roles: Not a chair; workload includes service on Compliance & Quality and Nominating & Governance; addition to N&G in Dec. 2024 suggests active engagement .
Overall: Pullin’s healthcare operating depth and committee assignments in compliance/quality and governance bolster Board effectiveness in clinical and regulatory oversight. No material conflicts or red flags are disclosed; ownership and trading policies strengthen alignment and investor confidence .