As part of its ongoing series of industry-specific panel discussions, the Center for Free Enterprise presents "The Business of Healthcare." This discussion will feature healthcare industry professionals who are also UofL College of Business alumni. Panelists will provide an outlook on the healthcare industry, including topics like job opportunities for students and the impact of artificial intelligence on the industry. Join us to hear from these industry experts: 

Randall Bufford '81, Co-founder 0924 Investments LLC; Founder, Trilogy Health Services

In 1997, Randy Bufford founded Louisville-based Trilogy Health Services, which grew to more than 125 senior living communities throughout the Midwest. Before stepping down as Trilogy's CEO, the company was recognized as the only senior living company to be named to Glassdoor's 100 large employers. He was also named one of Glassdoor's Top 100 CEOs in the US two years in a row, and was inducted into the Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame in 2021. Most recently, Randy and his wife, Susan founded 0924 Investments, LLC - The Bufford Family Office, with a core strategy to invest in people and businesses that align with their vision of serving others first.

Randy is a dedicated UofL supporter and former Trustee. He served as lead manager of the 1980 national championship men's basketball team and in 2015, he was inducted into the College of Business Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame.

John Hammond '09, SVP & Chief Human Resources Officer, Norton Healthcare

John Hammond currently serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for Norton Healthcare in Louisville, Kentucky. Prior to his current appointment, John was a System Director for the hospital system, responsible for Norton’s $250M employee benefits budget, and $1.2B compensation program. John received his bachelor’s degree from State University of New York at Buffalo, an MBA from the University of Louisville, and has been working in human resources for over 30 years. Originally from Buffalo, New York, John began his human resources career in the employee benefits department of a large New York-based bank, moved to Louisville in 1994 with another financial institution, and moved into health care human resources in 1998. He is a member of the Society for Human Resources Management, and a member of American Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration. Over his career he has served as a board member for several non-profits, including a local credit union, Habitat for Humanity, and the YMCA.

Lisa Stephens '16, SVP, Chief Operating Officer, Insurance Segment, Humana

Lisa Stephens is the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Insurance Segment at Humana, Inc., a Fortune 40 company. A seasoned professional with 34 years in the industry, Lisa has spent the last 27 years at Humana, where she has been a key leader in driving organizational growth and operational excellence. Recently promoted to COO, she now oversees the strategic and operational direction of the Insurance Segment, focusing on delivering innovative solutions that enhance member, provider and teammate experiences. Throughout her career at Humana, Lisa has held various leadership roles with a focus on operations, process improvement, program management, risk and compliance, population health and clinical strategy. Her leadership has consistently driven large-scale improvements, advancing the company’s performance and service delivery across the board. Lisa holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, and an MBA through University of Kentucky & University of Louisville’s joint Executive MBA program. She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), a Humana certified Six Sigma Black Belt, and a graduate of the Louisville Leadership Bingham Fellows Class of 2019. Lisa enjoys giving back to the community, serving as president of the children’s organization for her local church, and as a member of the Louisville Metro United Way Tocqueville Society

Jackie Willmot '98, CEO & Co-founder, XLerate Health

Jackie Willmot has more than 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry including 13 years as a clinician, 15 years as an executive at Humana in the Innovation Center where she spent 3 years working for a Humana Startup in the United Kingdom, and 14 years working with startups. In 2012 she co-founded XLerateHealth, a nationally recognized healthcare accelerator headquartered in Louisville  whose 132 portfolio companies have collectively raised $1.4B in capital. She was a founding member and on the Board of Directors of the Network for Entrepreneurial Women and has worked with 700+ healthcare startups via the University of Louisville’s LaunchIt program where she worked closely with Coulter, ExCITE, and I-Corps funded companies. Jackie is a Principal Investigator (PI) on an NIH-funded initiative to create the XLeratorNetwork in the Southeast IDeA States and was Co-chair of the External Review Board (ERB) for the NIH-funded KYNETIC program, the University of Kentucky’s External Advisory Committee (EAC) for the NIH funded CCTS program, and the Review Panel for the Puerto Rico Science, Technology & Research Trust’s BioTech Accelerator Program “EnTRUST.” She is a Master’s prepared Perinatal Clinical Nurse Specialist and holds an MBA from the University of Louisville’s entrepreneurship program, a Master’s of Science from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Baccalaureate Nursing degree from Villa Maria College.

The event is part of the CFE's Menard Family Lecture Series and is free and open to all. It is Cardinal Flight approved for College of Business students. Registration is not required. Parking is available in the Speed Museum Garage. 

*All University of Louisville College of Business programs are open to all eligible faculty, staff, and students regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age.