James A. (Jim) Deal, founder of Compassus, serves as chief executive officer. Deal has worked in the healthcare services industry for more than 40 years. He began his career in the investor-owned hospital business as a regional executive. Subsequently, as CEO of multiple health care companies, Deal led the creation of a national network of diabetes treatment centers, was instrumental in leading, developing and operating the first 16 at-risk disease/care management contracts in the U.S., grew a regional high-end medical imaging business into a multi-regional provider, and led the restructuring, refinancing and growth of an organization focused on high-quality medical care and attendant cost of treating the frail elderly.
More than 10 years ago, Deal founded Compassus in partnership with Cressey & Company, a Chicago-based private equity firm. In 2014, he led the recapitalization of Compassus when Formation Capital and Audax Private Equity replaced Cressey & Company as the company’s financial partners. The nation’s largest private hospice provider, Compassus employs more than 4,500 colleagues who provide a range of home health, hospice and palliative services and other resources to benefit patients and families. Today, the company operates more than 96 hospice, palliative and home health programs with 151 locations in 31 states across the U.S.
Deal serves on the board of directors of AmSurg/Sheridan (AMSG), a leading national physician services provider and the leading physician office-based ambulatory surgery provider. He previously served on the board of directors for MedCath, the leading operator of cardiac specialty hospitals.
Deal earned a master’s of public administration in health services administration from the University of Arizona and a bachelor’s of business in economics from Western Illinois University.