Samuel N. Hazen ’82, chief executive officer of HCA Healthcare, spoke at University of Kentucky’s Gatton College of Business and Economics on Feb. 4 as part of Dean Simon Sheather’s BLUEprint for Success Leadership Series. The video recording is available as a free webinar at http://gatton.uky.edu/blueprint.
A 38-year veteran of HCA Healthcare, Hazen was appointed CEO January 1, 2019 after serving as president and chief operating officer since 2016. Nashville-based HCA Healthcare is one of the nation’s leading providers of healthcare services with 185 hospitals and approximately 2,000 ambulatory sites of care, including surgery centers, freestanding ERs, urgent care centers and physician clinics, in 20 states and the United Kingdom. .
Sheather said he was honored to welcome Hazen back to the Gatton College for a conversation on leadership and emerging trends in healthcare. “Sam is recognized as one of the top experts in our country on healthcare and is a great example of our strategic vision to build a community of leaders and promote economic growth in Kentucky and beyond.”
Hazen is the inaugural speaker in the BLUEprint for Success Leadership Series, a professional leadership series featuring distinguished Gatton alumni sharing their stories. “As a Gatton alumn, I am always impressed by the amazing careers of our alumni,” said Jennifer Richard ‘90 MBA, in her introduction of Hazen.
In 2016, Hazen was inducted into the Gatton College Alumni Hall of Fame, which recognizes Gatton alumni who have earned exceptional success in their careers and in their communities. He earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Kentucky and his master’s degree in business administration from the University of Nevada Las Vegas.
Hazen has served in various senior positions for HCA Healthcare including president of operations from 2011-2015. Hazen has also served as president of HCA Healthcare’s Western Group, which included all operations west of the Mississippi River and represented approximately one-half of the company’s revenue.
Prior to 2001, Hazen was chief financial officer for the Western Group. Prior to 1995, he was chief financial officer for two different divisions in the company, overseeing operations in North Texas and various other markets. Hazen began his career in Humana’s Financial Management Specialist Program in 1983 and has held the chief financial officer position at hospitals in Georgia and Las Vegas.
Hazen currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Nashville Health Care Council, Federation of American Hospitals, and the HCA Healthcare Foundation.