Athenahealth CEO Jonathan Bush is stepping down after a series of allegations about misconduct involving women, clearing the way for a potential sale of the $6.3 billion health-technology company he co-founded more than two decades ago.

Bush, the nephew of former President George H.W. Bush, had faced challenges on two fronts.

Elliott Management Corp., an activist hedge fund, proposed buying the company early last month for $160 a share, saying it had been mismanaged and would be better off under private ownership. Then last week it was reported by Bloomberg and others that Bush had faced complaints of inappropriate behavior with female employees and had physically assaulted his now ex-wife more than a decade ago.

A 2017 video clip seen by Bloomberg shows Bush at a health care industry event dressed up as a race car driver, pretending to be the title character from the 2006 comedy “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,” and at times reading from a cue card.

Midway through the skit, he says he wants to “jump down on” one of his female employees “and do inappropriate things.” He then briefly pauses. “Uh, but obviously that’s totally inappropriate and would never happen or be said on a microphone.”

Athenahealth operates a call center in Belfast, Maine, that employs about 1,000 workers.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.