Michael Neidorff, Centene's CEO and chairman, doesn't just have his fingerprints all over Centene's history — his influence expands well across the payer landscape.
In 2022, Mr. Neidorff will end his tenure leading Centene, closing another chapter in his nearly four decades in the health insurance industry.
1985
Mr. Neidorff entered the health insurance industry by founding UnitedHealth Group subsidiary Physicians Health Plan of Greater St. Louis. He served as the payer's president and chief executive officer from 1985 through 1995, supporting its rapid growth and establishing it as one of UnitedHealth Group's most profitable health plans at the time.
1995
After departing from Physicians Health Plan, Mr. Neidorff served shortly as regional vice president of managed care organization Coventry Health Care. He also served as president and chief executive officer of St. Louis-based Group Health Plan, a Coventry subsidiary.
Coventry Health Care and its subsidiaries would merge with Principal Health Care shortly after Mr. Neidorff's departure. After a series of mergers and acquisitions, Coventry would eventually end up as part of Aetna.
1996
Mr. Neidorff stepped into his current position as Centene's CEO and president in 1996 during the company's expansion into Indiana. Under his leadership, Centene would expand into every state.
1997
Mr. Neidorff rebranded the payer, which was formerly known as Family Hospital Physician Associates, as Centene Corp. He also established the payer's headquarters in St. Louis, where it remains today.
The same year, Mr. Neidorff helmed the acquisition of the payer's first subsidiary, nurse triage company NurseWise.
2001-2004
When Centene became a publicly traded company in 2001, it had three major health plans, 235,000 members and $327 million in revenue. Over the next three years, Mr. Neidorff would grow revenue past the $1 billion mark.
2015-2017
Mr. Neidorff has been recognized by Fortune twice as a Business Person of the Year — once in 2015 and once in 2017. The executive was praised for elevating Centene from No. 453 on the publication's list of largest companies to No. 66 over the course of five years.
2021
At the tail end of 2021, Mr. Neidorff announced his retirement from the payer, ending a 25-year tenure leading Centene. His retirement will be effective sometime in 2022 and Mr. Neidorff will hold his executive chair position on Centene's board through 2022.
The payer's board of directors is actively looking for Mr. Neidorff's successor.