Bill Augustine

William Anthony (Bill) Augustine is the founder and former CEO of HealthLink Incorporated, an information technology consulting firm later acquired by IBM.
Early life
Augustine was born to Edward Adam Augustine and Margaret Marie Augustine in Jackson, Michigan. His father worked at Clark Equipment Company, a local tool maker, while his mother raised Augustine and his three siblings. He lived in Jackson, Michigan until he sought higher education at the University of Arizona.
Augustine attended the University of Arizona and earned a bachelor's degree in accounting.
Early career
After college, Augustine worked as a computer programmer and analyst for multiple businesses. He worked with the administration of West Virginia University Hospitals, implementing automated computer systems to streamline access to patient information. It was there that he met his future wife, Sherry Lynn, an IBM sales representative. They married on May 30, 1987.
After leaving his job in West Virginia, Augustine become an independent consultant, specializing in streamlining hospital information systems and medical records.
HealthLink Incorporated
In 1994, Augustine founded HealthLink Incorporated in Charlotte, North Carolina, with ten employees. From 1994 to 1998, the company experienced an over 3700% growth in sales. By 1999, it had 107 employees in twenty-six states. As the second fastest-growing technology company in North Carolina, HealthLink Inc. was rated the No. 41 business on the 1998 Inc. 500 list.
By 2000, HealthLink Inc. had 120 employees, and was the largest privately held information technology consulting firm to hospitals in the U.S. With revenues of $20 million, it was named one of the fastest growing companies in its sector by Healthcare Informatics and Inc., and achieved the No. 2 spot in the North Carolina Fast 50. Augustine, HealthLink's CEO, accepted an invitation to the World Economic Forum as a "pioneer in technology".
Merger with IMG
To accommodate its fast growth and continued expansion, HealthLink Inc. sought to purchase other businesses, including Insource Management Group Inc. (IMG). HealthLink and IMG eventually agreed to a merger, which took place in December, 2000. The merger brought new clients such as Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital and Catholic Healthcare West. It raised HealthLink's combined revenue by 39%, substantially increased its number of employees, and enabled it to gain international clients. In the process of the merger, Augustine relinquished his title of CEO to Ivo Nelson, the CEO of IMG, and assumed the position of Senior Executive Vice President. The company's name was changed from HealthLink Incorporated to HealthLink, and its headquarters moved from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Houston, Texas.
Further growth
In its first fiscal year, the merged company had revenues of $33 million and more than 400 client organizations. By 2003, it had achieved a 160% growth in revenue.
Acquisition by IBM
HealthLink's growth attracted the notice of other major players in healthcare IT, and IBM, which was expanding its presence in the sector, expressed interest in buying it. HealthLink's administration initially resisted the proposal, but further negotiations lead to the company's sale to IBM in April 2005.

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