100 Most Influential People in Healthcare - 2021

Mills started his career with Medline as a sales representative in Dallas. He launched Medline’s operating room product division and led the company's marketing department before becoming president in 1997. He also worked in brand management for Proctor & Gamble. Mills has served on multiple boards, including those of NorthShore University HealthSystem, the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, and the Leadership Advisory Council for the Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare.

Andy Mills speaks: “A lot of people might think they’re doing a job by giving an answer. But I really don’t believe that simply giving an answer is doing your job, because if the answer doesn’t help move something forward or help the business, then what good was that answer? You haven’t completed the job until you’ve helped the person move forward whatever it is they’re doing.”

Blackstone, Carlyle and Hellman & Friedman, a group of private equity companies, this year signed a deal to purchase Medline Industries. The transaction worth as much as $34 billion is considered the biggest leveraged buyout in a decade.

Charlie Mills, as CEO of Medline, leads the largest the largest manufacturer and supplier of healthcare supplies in the U.S. Mills joined the company in 1986 as a sales representative and transitioned into sales management. He was vice president of marketing and VP of manufacturing before being named CEO in 1997. Before joining Medline, Mills served IBM in sales management. He is a member of the board of directors of Northwestern Lake Forest (Illinois) Hospital.

Charlie Mills speaks: “Our ability to be flexible for healthcare providers has been a direct result of our ongoing planning for the future. We know we can make healthcare run better by answering and anticipating the needs of customers. Our investment initiative lets us plan for the future so we can care for providers and our communities for many years to come.”