Franklin-based behavioral health provider Acadia Healthcare has named Chris Hunter as its new chief executive officer, the company announced. Hunter will join the organization on April 11, 2022 and will also take a seat on Acadia Healthcare’s board of directors, succeeding Debbie Osteen, who will remain on the board and provide transition support under a consulting agreement.

The board undertook a comprehensive search to identify a leader capable of sustaining Acadia’s growth trajectory while maintaining its emphasis on quality patient care and workplace excellence. Hunter was selected for his combination of strategic, operational and industry-specific experience, which the board cited as well suited to extend Acadia’s market reach and execute its long-term strategic plan. Information on Acadia’s senior leadership and governance can be found on the company’s senior executive team page.

Hunter arrives with more than two decades of healthcare industry experience spanning payer, technology and corporate strategy roles. Most recently he served as president of Humana’s Group, Military & Specialty segment, overseeing three business units that generated approximately 7 billion dollars in annual revenue and served some 20 million members across 45 states. In addition to his operational responsibilities at Humana, Hunter held the role of chief strategy officer, where he led corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions and partnership initiatives. His earlier career includes leadership positions at TriZetto and BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. More background on Hunter is available on his LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrishhunter

An academically accomplished executive, Hunter earned a bachelor’s degree with highest honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. His board experience spans both technology and nonprofit sectors, including service with AfterNext HealthTech, Availity, Youth Villages and the UNC-Chapel Hill Honors Program.

Acadia Healthcare operates a nationwide network of behavioral health facilities and is positioned as the largest stand-alone behavioral health company in the United States. As of December 31, 2021 the company managed 238 behavioral healthcare facilities with approximately 10,500 beds across 40 states and Puerto Rico. More than 22,500 employees serve roughly 70,000 patients each day in settings that include inpatient psychiatric hospitals, specialty treatment facilities, residential centers and outpatient clinics.

The leadership change follows a period of active expansion for Acadia Healthcare, which in the prior year completed the acquisition of a Missouri provider, purchased three vacant facilities in Chicago and established joint ventures in Florida, Colorado and Minnesota. The board indicated that Hunter’s track record in strategy and growth-oriented roles will be instrumental as Acadia pursues additional opportunities to broaden its footprint and enhance service delivery.

Company leadership characterized the transition as orderly and intentional, with the outgoing CEO contributing continuity through continued board membership and consultancy. Observers expect Hunter to focus on integrating recent acquisitions, advancing operational quality and aligning capital deployment with the company’s patient-centered mission. As he assumes the role, stakeholders will monitor how his experience at large payer and technology-focused firms translates into scaling behavioral health services across Acadia Healthcare’s national platform.