Executive Leadership
BEN R. LEEDLE, JR.
Chief Executive Officer
Ben R. Leedle, Jr. is the Chief Executive Officer of Healthways, Inc. (NASDAQ: HWAY). Leedle joined the company in July 1985 as an Exercise Physiologist and Certified Diabetes Educator with the Diabetes Center of Excellence at St. Joseph Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas. In 1990, Leedle was promoted to Healthways’ corporate management team in Nashville, Tennessee, and distinguished himself in various business functions before being named Chief Operating Officer in 2001 and President in May 2002. Leedle assumed his current role and was elected to Healthways’ Board of Directors in September 2003.
Under his leadership, Healthways has increased revenue from $165 million in 2003 to over $600 million in fiscal year 2007. He has led the company into new markets ranging from government to international. Healthways holds a prominent presence on “fastest growing” lists in Fortune, BusinessWeek and Forbes due to Leedle’s commitment to improving the health of people around the world.
Leedle holds a Master of Science degree from Emporia State University and a Bachelor of Arts degree, Summa Cum Laude, in Education from Central College. He is a graduate of the Executive Education Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.
A committed member of the health community, Leedle has supported the work of the American Diabetes Association in Kansas, South Carolina and Tennessee and has served as a Peer Reviewer for the ADA National Recognition process. He is a member of the HealthCare South Executive Summit, an industry CEO roundtable, and he serves on the Vanderbilt Owen Health Care Advisory Board. Leedle is a frequent speaker at industry and educational events and directs Healthways’ support of multiple Nashville-based service organizations, primarily focusing on the needs of less privileged children.
Leedle’s unique understanding of the healthcare industry, market trends, arresting health costs and consumer focus has vaulted Healthways from a disease management company to a total population health resource intent on creating a healthier world – one person at a time.
STEFEN F. BRUECKNER
President, Chief Operating Officer
Stefen F. Brueckner is President and Chief Operating Officer of Healthways, Inc. In this capacity he is responsible for sales, marketing and customer retention, business technology, product solutions and all customer engagement activities.
Prior to joining Healthways in 2008, Brueckner served as vice president of senior products for Humana, a Fortune 100 company. There he led the team that directed Humana's considerable success in the Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plan arenas. He began his Humana career as vice president of market operations, where he oversaw the company's commercial group health operations.
Before joining Humana, Brueckner was president and chief executive officer of Boston-based ProMutual Group. There he provided executive leadership for the medical malpractice company. Additionally, Brueckner has served as president and CEO of Anthem Companies, Inc. and president of Community Mutual Insurance, a Blue Cross and Blue Shield company.
Brueckner’s numerous professional affiliations include serving on the Board of the Gateway Trust mutual funds, the Physician Insurer Association of America and the Center for Health Care Negotiation. He has also served as vice chair of the Health Insurance Association of America.
Brueckner is a graduate of Boston University and holds a B.A. in political science. He is also a fellow of the Life Management Institute.
MARY A. CHAPUT
Chief Financial Officer
Mary joined Healthways in 2001 and is responsible for enterprise risk management, including finance, legal, investor relations and regulatory compliance. Her 25 years of international and domestic business experience spans the healthcare, information services, manufacturing and venture capital consulting industries. Prior to joining Healthways, Mary held the position of Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for ClinTrials Research, which followed senior level positions with General Electric, Pharmaco International, and Coleco Industries. In addition to her extensive background in business planning and financial analysis (including start-ups, acquisitions, divestitures), Mary has a proven track record in developing and implementing strategic plans in support of company goals and working in diverse environments increasing productivity and enhancing customer service through team building, process improvement and systems implementation. A graduate of the General Electric Financial Management Program, Mary earned her MA in Mathematics from Russell Sage College and MBA, summa cum laude, from State University of New York, Albany.
JAMES E. POPE, M.D. F.A.C.C.
Vice President, Chief Science Officer
Dr. James Pope is Vice President and Chief Science Officer of Healthways, Inc., where he oversees medical and scientific integrity, analytic consultative services, process quality improvements, outcomes and applied research. He joined Healthways in 2003 and has served in various leadership roles during his tenure with the company, including Chief Medical Officer and Chief Operating Officer, prior to being named Chief Science Officer in 2008.
As Healthways Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Pope held responsibility for product development and delivery for all US business from 2006 to 2008, a time when Healthways achieved significant growth in revenue and net income. He established the Healthways Center for Health Research while serving as Chief Medical Officer, performing advanced analytics with data collected from millions of participants over twenty-five years of Healthways programming. As Chief Medical Officer he also led oversight of all medical quality initiatives and Informatics.
Dr. Pope has more than 25 years experience in health care, including 16 years operating a private cardiology practice in Tampa, Florida. He is the co-author of numerous journal articles and has held several executive positions, serving as President of the HeartCare Institute of Tampa and President and Medical Director of Florida Cardiac Network, an Independent Physician Association of over 100 cardiologists.
A past Consulting Associate at the Department of Medicine, Cardiology Section at Duke University, Dr. Pope has also served on the faculty at Wake Forest’s Bowman Gray School of Medicine. He has served on the board of directors for DMAA: The Care Continuum Alliance and currently is on the board of IBI, a nonprofit health and productivity research company.
Dr. Pope received a Bachelor of Science from Washington and Lee University in 1975, and a Medical Degree from Eastern Virginia Medical School in 1978. He completed his postdoctoral training at Bowman Gray School of Medicine/North Carolina Baptist Hospital in 1983.
JOHN HARRIS, M.Ed., FAWHP
Vice President, Innovations
John Harris, M.Ed., FAWHP, is Vice-President Innovations and Chief Wellness Officer for Healthways, Inc. In leading Innovations he is responsible for envisioning the solutions of the future and proving their viability. As Chief Wellness Officer he serves as the primary wellness authority within Healthways, contributing to prevention efforts throughout the organization.
Harris was formerly an Executive Vice President of Axia Health Management, which was acquired by Healthways in late 2006. He was the co-founder of Harris HealthTrends, an entrepreneurial corporation specializing in the prevention of disease and the reduction of health care costs, and served as its Chief Executive Officer for over 18 years. Under his leadership Harris HealthTrends grew from several employees to over 300, grossing nearly $13 million in 2005, and performing work in all 50 U.S. states and six countries. Through the development of multiple sales channels, Harris HealthTrends developed a base of over 100 clients and helped shape the prevention industry into what it is today.
Harris received a Bachelor of Science degree from Grand Valley State University in 1977, and a Masters in Education degree from The University of Toledo, in 1982. He has over 30 years of experience in the health management field, employed in both the corporate and private sectors, and was nominated for Toledo, Ohio Entrepreneur of the Year in 1990.
ANNE WILKINS
Chief Strategy and Chief Marketing Officer
Anne Wilkins is responsible for strategy, external affairs and brand. She is also the lead executive on Well-Being for Healthways. She joined Healthways in 2008 after over fifteen years with the Boston Consulting Group, where she was Partner and Managing Director and lead of their North America Payer practice. Anne has worked with many health care companies to address issues of strategy, corporate development, operational effectiveness, integration and organizational change. She has a particular interest in how all the stakeholders in health care, including individuals, employers, payers and providers, can work to improve health, well-being and productivity. Anne has co-authored papers including Realizing the Promise of Disease Management and a series on The Emerging World of Medical Management. Anne holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where she concentrated in strategic management and marketing, and a BS in finance, summa cum laude, from the University of Connecticut.
CHRIS CIGARRAN
Vice President, Human Resources
Chris is responsible for People and Culture strategy and implementation at Healthways. This includes Compensation and Benefits, Internal Communications, Education, Organization and Leadership Development, Talent Acquisition, Human Resources Processes, and the relationship with the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors. He is passionate about creating an environment within organizations where individuals can truly thrive. Healthways was recently recognized by Fortune Magazine as one of the 100 Best Places to Work in the U.S and by Training Magazine as a Top 125 organization for colleague development. Prior to joining Healthways in 2001, Chris spent several years as a consultant working with multiple large organizations in the U.S. and Canada. As a consultant, Chris focused on teams in organizations, organizational culture, as well as organizational change and effectiveness. Chris received his undergraduate degree from Bucknell University and his Master’s in Organization Development from Pepperdine University. He is married with two wild young children.
MATTHEW E. KELLIHER
President, International Business
Matthew Kelliher is responsible for the overall strategy and operations of Healthways International. He is directly involved in developing and expanding care and disease management services to overseas markets. Past experience includes serving as the Co-founder and President of StatusOne Health Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of Healthways, Executive Director of the Health Centers Division at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts and Vice President of Quality Management at Harvard Community Health Plan.
ROBERT E. STONE
Vice President
Bob Stone co-founded Healthways in 1981 as American Healthcorp and has since served on the company’s executive team in a variety of roles.
Stone is a recognized pioneer in the industry, having been a charter board member and former president of DMAA: The Care Continuum Alliance, an active advocate for industry accreditation standards, a standardized industry outcomes methodology and assuring access to care management programs for Traditional Medicare Beneficiaries.
In addition to his tenure with Healthways, Stone has held leadership positions at Kings County Hospital Center, Rancocas Valley Hospital in New Jersey and New York Medical College before serving as the Director of the Determination of Need program in Massachusetts.
Stone is a prolific author, speaker and commentator on issues facing the industry and health care in general. Through his widely read blog Turn To Stone, located at www.turn-to-stone.com, he offers his unique perspective and expertise on various health industry issues.
Stone earned his undergraduate degree in Communications [Journalism] from Stanford where he served as Editor of The Stanford Daily and an MBA in Health Care Administration from George Washington University.