ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — One day after his passing, tributes are coming in to remember the legacy of Michael Neidorff, who until February had been CEO of Centene, the Clayton-based healthcare firm, since 1996. Neidorff died Thursday at the age of 79 after what the company called a lengthy illness.
According to an obituary released by the company:
“Michael was Centene Corporation’s visionary leader for more than 25 years. He built a remarkable American business success story and his commitment to providing affordable, high quality health care to the most vulnerable people transformed lives across the globe.
Michael Neidorff joined Centene as CEO in 1996 and led the company in its remarkable trajectory from a $40 million single health plan to a multinational $125 billion health care enterprise serving 25 million members. Centene is ranked #24 in the Fortune 500, #57 in the Fortune 500 Global list, and #7 on the 2019 Fortune Change the World list. Centene has grown to nearly 76,000 employees serving all 50 states and 3 international countries.
Michael made diversity and inclusion a central focus of his leadership, building an international corporation where women, people of color, LGBTQ, veterans, and people with disabilities all have opportunities to lead and excel. Thanks to his strong commitment, Fortune ranked Centene as the #2 company nationally for diversity and inclusion. In 2017, Michael was named Citizen of the Year by the St. Louis Post Dispatch for spearheading a $30 million investment in Ferguson, Missouri in the weeks following the racial unrest in the summer of 2014, bringing much needed opportunity and hope to the region and anchoring small businesses in the community.”
The St. Louis Blues, who now practice at the Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights, released a statement Friday. “Michael lived a life of purpose and generosity, with a particular emphasis on serving the next generation. The loss of Michael Neidorff will be felt by all of us for a long time. However, Michael's legacy will be everlasting. For that, we are extremely grateful to Michael, and his family, for a lifetime of goodness and giving to everyone who loves St. Louis.”
Neidorf made waves locally in 2020 when he announced Centene was expanding to Charlotte and building an east coast headquarters in North Carolina. He was also vocal about issues related to public safety in the St. Louis region and pushed for ways to fix it.
“Michael was a leader who not only grew Centene into one of the world’s leading companies, but was incredibly generous to the St. Louis community. He was a true champion for people with disabilities and worked tirelessly to improve our metro and the lives of the people who live here,” Greater St. Louis Inc., an umbrella organization that now encompasses what used to be several civic groups like Civic Progress, said in a statement.
Centene appeared to publicly double-down on its commitment to St. Louis in particular in February, when the company was introduced as the naming rights partner for the St. Louis CITY SC soccer stadium under construction in Downtown West near Union Station.
“As a healthcare company committed to helping people live healthier lives, Centene's heart and soul has been linked to the health of the communities we serve,” Sarah London, Vice Chairman of Centene’s Board of Directors in a news release at the time the 15-year agreement was announced. “Over the past three decades, the company has worked tirelessly to fulfill needs in healthcare and help more individuals and deliver on our purpose of transforming the health of the community, one person at a time.”
Neidorf’s funeral services will be private, the company said Thursday. A public memorial service will be scheduled.