ACU alumnus April Anthony was awarded the sixth annual Healthcare Leaders Conference Innovator Award this month for her accomplishments in the health field.
“This latest distinguished award is a great testament to April’s stellar career as a thought leader in her industry, marked by her business expertise, ability to build relationships and cutting-edge, innovative practices,” said Dr. Phil Schubert, president of the university, in a previous interview regarding Anthony.
Anthony graduated in 1989 with a bachelor’s in business administration and accounting but never expected she’d be where she is today.
“I got got into the health side through finance side of things,” Anthony said.
When she was 25, Anthony began working with a failing home-healthcare company as a controller. Her job was to sell the failing company, but when she couldn’t find any buyers, she turned to herself. Anthony bought one of the company’s subsidiaries and became a CEO in her mid-20s.
After six years, Anthony founded Homecare Homebase as a result of not being able to find equipment she was happy with.
Twenty-three years later, Anthony is the CEO of two companies – Encompass Home Health & Hospice, a provider of home-care and hospice services, and Homecare Homebase, a leading software technology platform for the home-health and hospice industries – that are two of the leading healthcare companies in the industry, according to the award website.
“It’s exciting,” Anthony said. “There’s some great folks that have won the award ahead of me, and it’s exciting to be a part of that.”
The Healthcare Leaders Conference Innovator Award is bestowed upon CEOs who have made a dramatic impact on the success of their individual companies in terms of value creation, implementation of sector-shaping business models and innovative business practices, culture and team-building and their individual/organizational impact on the overall healthcare scene.
“It’s always fun to be recognized for your work,” Anthony said, but not without lending thanks to her team. “They’re what made me successful. When you’re dedicated to doing something special, it’s always good to remember to pass those accolades on to your team.”
