James R. Downing, M.D., president and CEO of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, is the No. 5 ranked CEO in the large company category of Glassdoor’s Top CEOs, 2018.
Under Downing’s leadership, St. Jude has increased employee feedback channels and forums, resulting in more innovation and connectivity across the Memphis-based campus. Downing leads monthly Town Hall and Blueprint Series all-employee meeting opportunities that encourage employees to share ideas and connect with leadership.
““Dr. Downing is passionate about driving our mission-driven culture with groundbreaking research and top-quality patient care,” said Camille F. Sarrouf Jr., chair of the St. Jude board of governors. “He is tireless in his efforts to connect with all of our employees, our patients and their families. It is always gratifying to receive recognition for a job well done; it means even more knowing the recognition received comes from your own employees.”
The Glassdoor recognition is the latest of several honors St. Jude has earned based on employee feedback under Downing’s leadership. Those honors include:
- Glassdoor 2018 Best Places to Work (No. 9)
- 2017 Top Workplace in Memphis, The Commercial Appeal
- One of the "100 Best Companies to Work For," Fortune magazine (2011-2018)
- One of the "Companies That Care," People magazine (2017)
- One of the "Best Workplaces for Women," Fortune magazine (2016, 2017)
- One of the "Best Workplaces for Diversity," Fortune magazine (2015, 2016)
- One of the "Best Workplaces for Millennials," Fortune magazine (2015, 2016, 2017)
- One of the "Best Workplaces in Health Care," Fortune magazine (2015, 2017)
Winning CEOs are determined by feedback from their employees who review their performance on Glassdoor.com. When providing a company review, employees are asked to share their opinion on some of the best reasons to work for their employer (pros), any downsides (cons), and are encouraged to provide advice to management. Employees are also asked to rate several factors tied to their employment experience, including sentiment around their CEO’s job performance, in addition to rating workplace attributes like senior management among others. Specifically, when rating their CEO on Glassdoor, employees are able to choose from one of three options: approve, disapprove or no opinion of the CEO.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and cures childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments developed at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to 80% since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude shares the discoveries it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. To learn more, visit stjude.org or follow St. Jude on social media at @stjuderesearch.