David A. Jones
Recipient of Leadership Kentucky’s
2008 Flame of Excellence Award
On December 9, 2008, Former Leadership Kentucky Chairman, Billy Harper, presented the 2008 Flame of Excellence Award to Mr. David A. Jones during Leadership Kentucky’s 7th annual Luncheon & Executive Forum. 
To celebrate the occasion, Mr. Jones was joined by his wife, Betty Ashbury Jones, and three of their five children, David A. Jones, Jr., Daniel Jones, and Carol Jones Levitch and her husband, Paul Levitch, along with several close friends and colleagues, Virginia Judd, Mike McCallister, Bruce Maza and Tom Noland, for the afternoon festivities held in Louisville.
The Flame of Excellence Award is given to proudly honor significant Kentuckians bravely leading the way. Leadership Kentucky is privileged to honor Mr. Jones for the many contributions he has made to Kentucky and beyond.
Mr. Jones co-founded Humana Inc. in 1961 and served as chief executive officer for 37 years and board chair for 44 years prior to retiring in 2005, and served as nonexecutive founding chairman of the board of Hospira, NSYE (HSP) until his retirement in 2007. He is a director of Glenview Trust Co. and a retired director of Abbott Laboratories and several other companies.
Mr. Jones was a member of The Business Roundtable and co-founder and past chair of the Healthcare Leadership Council, a group of about 50 CEOs of the nation’s largest health care organizations.
Mr. Jones, a native of Louisville, and his wife Betty have five children and eleven grandchildren. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Louisville in 1954, where he won the outstanding senior award. He also became a Certified Public Accountant that year. After three years of Navy service he entered Yale University, earning a law degree (JD) in 1960, while also serving on the economics faculty from 1958 to 1960. He received a Yale Medal in 1992, and in 2003 received The Order of Merit, Romania’s highest civilian award. He holds honorary doctorates from The Chicago Medical School, the University of Louisville, Transylvania University and the Claremont Graduate School.
At the request of Mr. Drucker, Mr. Jones served as the founding chairman of the Peter F. Drucker Graduate Management Center’s Board of Visitors, Claremont Graduate School, California.
Mr. Jones has been a strong supporter of Leadership Kentucky from its inception, served on several occasions as a speaker, and worked closely with various members of the founding board of Leadership Kentucky.
