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Who was Brian Thompson, the UnitedHealthCare CEO, Iowa native murdered in New York City?
UnitedHealthcare CEO gunned down in ‘brazen, targeted attack’
50-year-old Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was fatally shot in what police called a “brazen, targeted attack” in New York City.
Brian Thompson, 50, the UnitedHealthCare CEO killed Wednesday in what authorities said was a targeted attack in New York City, had deep ties to Iowa.
Here’s what to know about him.
Where did Brian Thompson live?
UnitedHealthCare has its headquarters in the Minneapolis metro, where Thompson lived in the suburb of Maple Grove with wife, Paulette, a doctor, and their two sons.
Brian Thompson grew up in Jewell, Iowa
Thompson grew up in Jewell, in Hamilton County north of Ames, the son of Pat and the late Dennis Thompson. His father attended Ellsworth Community College and Iowa State University and was employed at grain elevators.
Brian Thompson had one brother, who lives in Chicago, according to his father’s obituary.
Who is Brian Thompson’s wife?
Thompson’s wife, who goes by Pauley, also grew up in Iowa, where her late father was a doctor in Webster City and later moved to Des Moines.
Thompson’s four sisters-in-law include Des Moines-area resident Maria Reveiz, who is a non-practicing physician, a yoga instructor and a co-founder of the downtown Noce jazz club.
Brian Thompson remembered as ‘outstanding student’ at South Hamilton High School
Thompson graduated in 1993 from South Hamilton High School in Jewell. He was an “outstanding student,” according to Principal Todd Coy, then a health and physical education teacher.
His achievements included being an athlete and homecoming king, class president and valedictorian.
UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson studied accounting at the University of Iowa
According to the Business Record, Thompson also was valedictorian when he graduated from the University of Iowa in 1997 with a bachelor’s in business administration, majoring in accounting.
His LinkedIn profile says he was a Collegiate, Carver, State of Iowa and Faculty scholar and was named outstanding accounting student in his junior and senior years.
Brian Thompson’s career included work at PwC and 20 years at UnitedHealthCare
After graduating, Thompson moved to Minneapolis to work as a CPA for the accounting firm PwC. There, he was a manager in auditing and later, transaction advisory services.
In 2004, Thompson joined UnitedHealthCare, one of the largest Fortune 500 companies, as director of corporate development. He became a vice president, then chief financial officer over increasingly important sectors of the business before being named CEO of UnitedHealthCare Medicare & Retirement in 2017. In 2019, he became CEO of the company’s government programs.
In 2021, he was chosen to be overall CEO, overseeing a global workforce of 140,000.
Family, business leaders remember UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson as ‘loving’ and ‘generous’
“Brian was an incredibly loving, generous, talented man who truly lived life to the fullest and touched so many lives. Most importantly, Brian was an incredibly loving father to our two sons and will be greatly missed.” — Paulette Thompson, wife, in a statement to Fox News
“He was a wonderful person and a wonderful father, and we are heartbroken and shocked.” — Maria Reveiz of Des Moines, sister-in-law
“He was a good person, and I am so sad.” — Elena Reveiz of Omaha, Nebraska, sister-in-law, speaking to the New York Times
“He was a devoted father, a good friend to many and a refreshingly candid colleague and leader.” — Mike Tuffin, president and CEO of commercial health insurance trade group AHIP
“Brian was an outstanding student. Held his academics as high as any student I’ve been around. Missing a question on a test was something that frustrated him. He was just a great kid to all.” — Todd Coy, principal, South Hamilton High School
“His achievements and character left a meaningful legacy within our schools and community.” — South Hamilton School District statement
“This is horrifying news and a terrible loss for the business and health care community in Minnesota. Minnesota is sending our prayers to Brian’s family and the UnitedHealthcare team.” — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz
“He was just an incredible guy — nice, resourceful. This is just a total tragedy.” — Steve Parente, a former Trump administration health care official who worked with Thompson, to the Minneapolis Star Tribune
“I knew him to be a visionary leader who developed innovative ideas to take on some of the nation’s greatest challenges. His death is a great loss for our country and for the health care industry.” — Kim Keck, the chief executive of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, to the New York Times
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