David C. Guth, JR

David Guth is Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Centerstone, one of the nation’s largest behavioral healthcare providers. The non-profit organization, headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, serves nearly 142,000 individuals in facilities in Florida, Illinois, Indiana and Tennessee, and nationwide through our national provider network. Guth has served in the capacity of chief executive for Centerstone since 1991. With 40 years of behavioral healthcare experience, 32 in executive leadership, his experience and expertise comprise a vast number of areas, both business and clinical. He has presented extensively before national and international audiences on the adoption of information technology in the healthcare industry, the integration of behavioral and primary healthcare, and the importance of improving the field of behavioral health through research-driven protocols. His insights on these topics and others have been featured in numerous professional journals. The National Council for Behavioral Health published Guth’s first book in 2013 (now available in second edition since 2014) on mergers entitled, “Strategic Unions: A Marriage Guide to Healthy Not-for-Profit Mergers.” He has provided merger presentations through both the National Council and state trade associations and has consulted extensively with not-for-profits exploring mergers and with both for-profits and not-for profits in the areas of managing growth and business development. He is currently working on his second book entitled “Nonprofit Governance.” Under Mr. Guth’s guidance, in 2013 Centerstone announced a joint venture with Unity Physician Partners to improve patient care and enhance the quality of healthcare across the U.S., by creating an environment in which primary care and mental health providers operate within a collaborative and co-located clinical model. Unity Medical Clinics are embedded within select Centerstone facilities today offering coordinated, whole-health care. He is the recipient of numerous recognitions including the National Council 2010 Visionary Leadership award, and is recognized as one of Health Care’s Power Leaders in the March 2013 Nashville Business Journal. Guth received his BA in Mathematics from Vanderbilt University and his MSSW in Social Work Administration and Planning from the University of Tennessee.