DAVID A. JONES
Always Moving Forward

A memoir of friends, family, and building Humana

By David A. Jones

ISBN 978-1-938462-63-4
[Hardcover with dust jacket]

Publication Date October 10, 2023

An inspiring and insightful autobiography of the healthcare business titan and philanthropist who founded the multi-billion dollar Humana corporation.

Description

The story of friends, family, hometown values – and an entrepreneur who changed American health care

In 1961, David A. Jones and another young lawyer borrowed $1,000 each to build a nursing home. That modest investment turned into Humana: first the largest nursing home company in the U.S., then the largest hospital corporation, and today one of the nation’s largest health insurance and integrated care companies.

Always Moving Forward is Jones’ account of how a poor kid from Louisville, Kentucky was able to succeed on that scale. With humor, he talks about his optimism, his love of books, his “competitive mindset and willingness to throw a solid punch when necessary” – and of having one very important quality at the start: “the confidence of total ignorance.”

Along the way, Jones championed for-profit health care, played a role in such cutting-edge medical advances as the artificial heart, rose to a Presidential challenge to help newly independent Romania rebuild its antiquated health care system, and lived through the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center. After Jones retired, he and one of his sons also built one of the largest metropolitan parks completed in this century.

But in the end, Jones tells us it was all about family, friends and the people he met along the way. This is their story, as well as his.

Author credit

David A. Jones was co-founder, CEO and chairman of the board of Humana. He retired in 2005. Bob Hill, a Louisville writer, helped him with this book. Hill has won many awards for his writing, including the Ernie Pyle Legacy Award, which recognizes the ability to connect with people and tell their stories. Hill did that for 33 years in 4,000 columns he wrote for the Louisville Times and Courier Journal, and in the ten books he has authored. This was a joyous project for both Jones and Hill, as they swapped stories and discovered similarities in their early lives.

An inspiring autobiography of the man who co-founded Humana, gave away most of his billion-dollar fortune, and managed to get home for dinner almost every night

David Jones was the single most influential friend and mentor I’ve had in my entire career. I’ve never forgotten what he told me when I was starting out: ‘The most important word in the English language is focus.’”
– U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell

David cared about one thing more than any other: helping people. He brought many new ideas to health care, and Humana and the people we serve benefited every time.”
– Bruce Broussard, president and CEO, Humana.

His long relationship with the Yale Law School was not about the pride of mutual prestige but about unleashing transformative potential. Because of his leadership and investment, this is a more inclusive, impactful and innovative place.”
– Heather Gerken, Dean, Yale Law School

You name a successful initiative in this community, you can bet David Jones was in the mix somewhere.”
– Jerry Abramson, former mayor of Louisville

I’ve heard it said that your mind grows by what you bring in but your heart grows by what you give out. This was certainly true with David Jones, who possessed one of the biggest hearts I have ever had the pleasure to know.”
– Rev. Kevin Cosby, St. Stephen Baptist Church and President, Simmons College of Kentucky

The Parklands of Floyds Fork: A generational legacy.

The Parklands of Floyds Fork. Click here for the full map.

Reviewer Inquiry

Email John Clark at john@oldstonepress.com

 

 

 

Awards and Publicity

 

 
 
 
Inside Louisville - October 8, 2023

 

Publishers Weekly, July 24, 2023 Issue

 

 

 

 

 

 

Humana Foundation Invests $1 Million to Support Louisville in Wake of Shootings

A great adventure' | Humana co-founder David Jones Sr.'s last project: an autobiography
Reach reporter Chris Otts at 502-585-0822, cotts@wdrb.com, on Twitter or on Facebook. Copyright 2023. WDRB Media. All rights reserved.

FOREWORD REVIEWS - DAVID A. JONES always moving forward review

KIRKUS REVIEWS - Jones, David A. Jones

 

Author Appearances

October 16, 2023, Kentucky Author’s Forum Click here

                                  YouTube Kentucky Author's Forum Click here  

October 17, 2023, WHAS-TV 5 p.m./6 p.m. news. Click here

November 9, 2023, Rotary Club of Louisville (David A. Jones, Jr.)

December 7, 2023, The Filson Historical Society. Click here

 

 

 

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