Who Runs AdventHealth Now-and Why It Matters More Than Ever
Who runs AdventHealth?
AdventHealth is run by David Banks, who became president and CEO in April 2025 after succeeding Terry Shaw; the organization itself is a large faith-based nonprofit health system governed by a corporate leadership team and board structure rather than a single owner.
How the system is organized
AdventHealth is headquartered in Altamonte Springs, Florida, and operates as a not-for-profit health care system with hospitals, physician practices, urgent care centers, and other facilities across nine states. Its audited 2024 financial statements describe 46 affiliated hospitals and related facilities controlled through bylaws, governing board appointments, or operating agreements, plus six additional hospitals in joint ventures.
The scale of the organization helps explain why "who runs AdventHealth" has more than one answer: the system is led centrally, but day-to-day operations are also handled by division, region, and hospital executives. AdventHealth's public company profile says it serves nearly nine million people annually with more than 100,000 team members across more than 2,000 care sites.
Current top leadership
David Banks is the systemwide CEO and president, making him the most direct answer to the question of who runs AdventHealth at the highest level. Before that promotion, he served in other senior roles inside the organization, which is common in large health systems that elevate internal leaders into top posts.
Publicly available leadership listings also show a broad executive bench underneath him, including divisional CEOs and clinical leaders who oversee regional operations and specialty functions. That structure is typical of a multi-state health system that needs both centralized strategy and local autonomy.
Leadership snapshot
| Role | Name | What they oversee |
|---|---|---|
| President and CEO | David Banks | Systemwide strategy, operations, and leadership alignment |
| Former CEO | Terry Shaw | Previously led the organization before stepping down in 2025 |
| Divisional and regional CEOs | Multiple leaders | Local hospitals, regional markets, and service-line execution |
| Clinical and wellness leaders | Multiple leaders | Quality, physician engagement, and care culture |
This table reflects the way AdventHealth is run in practice: one chief executive at the top, supported by a layered leadership model beneath him.
Why the answer can be surprising
The surprising part is that AdventHealth is not "run" like a typical private company with a single founder or controlling family. It is a faith-based nonprofit system whose governance is distributed through a board and executive leadership network, with local CEOs responsible for specific hospitals and regions.
Another reason the answer can surprise people is that AdventHealth's name sounds singular, but the organization is actually a broad system spanning multiple states and care settings. Its footprint includes hospitals, outpatient clinics, home health, hospice, and physician practices, so leadership has to function at both corporate and local levels.
What changed in 2025
April 2025 marked a leadership transition when David Banks officially took over as CEO and president, replacing Terry Shaw. Reporting on the transition noted that Shaw had announced retirement plans earlier and would remain on the board of directors, which suggests continuity rather than a full break in governance.
That kind of handoff matters in a system as large as AdventHealth because leadership changes can influence capital planning, expansion, and regional management. The organization's 2024 financial reporting and 2025 executive updates show a health system that is still actively expanding while refining how it is managed.
How the chain of command works
- Board oversight sets governance direction and accountability for the nonprofit system.
- System CEO David Banks leads the enterprise and sets operational priorities.
- Divisional presidents and CEOs manage major geographic or service areas.
- Hospital CEOs run individual hospitals and align local performance with system goals.
- Clinical leaders focus on quality, physician engagement, and care standards.
This layered structure is common in large nonprofit health systems because it allows local hospitals to respond quickly to community needs while remaining aligned with systemwide mission and finances.
Historical context
AdventHealth's current system traces back to a long-running Adventist health tradition, and public descriptions say its caring philosophy began more than 150 years ago with the founders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. That heritage still shapes the organization's mission language and executive culture today.
The 2024 audited statements identify the legal entity as Adventist Health System Sunbelt Healthcare Corporation doing business as AdventHealth, which underscores that the brand name people see is part of a much larger corporate and nonprofit structure.
Fast facts
- AdventHealth's top executive is David Banks, who became CEO and president in April 2025.
- The system is headquartered in Altamonte Springs, Florida.
- It operates in nine states, according to audited financial statements.
- It serves nearly nine million people annually.
- It employs more than 100,000 team members.
These figures show that AdventHealth is a major regional and national health system, not a single hospital or small chain.
"AdventHealth is a connected network of care that helps people feel whole - body, mind and spirit."
That brand statement helps explain why leadership at AdventHealth is built around mission, scale, and regional delivery all at once.
Bottom line
David Banks runs AdventHealth as president and CEO, but the organization is actually governed by a larger nonprofit leadership system that includes a board, regional executives, and hospital leaders.
Helpful tips and tricks for Who Runs Adventhealth Now And Why It Matters More Than Ever
Is David Banks the only person in charge?
No. David Banks is the top executive, but AdventHealth also relies on a board, divisional leaders, regional CEOs, hospital CEOs, and clinical executives to run its day-to-day operations.
Is AdventHealth privately owned?
No. AdventHealth is a nonprofit health system, so it is governed through corporate and board structures rather than being owned by shareholders or a single private owner.
Where is AdventHealth based?
AdventHealth is headquartered in Altamonte Springs, Florida.
How big is AdventHealth?
Public company information says AdventHealth has more than 100,000 team members, more than 2,000 care sites, and reaches nearly nine million people annually.
Who was the previous CEO?
Terry Shaw was the prior CEO before David Banks took over in April 2025.