Naturally Slim Appoints Rob Butler as Chief Executive Officer, Enters Next Phase of Strategic Growth
Seasoned Executive Brings Proven Experience Building Winning Companies and Cultures
Naturally Slim®, a digital health company focused on metabolic syndrome (MetS) reversal, diabetes prevention, and weight management, today announced it has entered the next phase of its planned growth strategy with the appointment of Rob Butler as chief executive officer. The former CEO of Maestro Health will work closely with the Naturally Slim management team to further enhance and expand the Company’s current digital weight management and metabolic syndrome reversal program to create a holistic well-being eco-system that will improve participants’ overall health. Butler will be based in the Company’s Dallas headquarters.
The appointment of Butler follows Naturally Slim’s May announcement of a major capital investment from The Riverside Company—a global private equity firm focused on investing in growing businesses—which the Company is using to help measurably improve the health and quality of life of millions of Americans.
“In the past few years we have demonstrated exceptional market momentum with our unique program that is both clinically impactful and cost-effective for employers to implement and we are now ready to take our company and growth to the next level,” said Tim Church, MD, MPH, PhD, Chief Medical Officer, Naturally Slim. “We couldn’t be more excited for Rob to join our team and leverage his proven track record, insights, business acumen and experience to help us refine and execute a strategic plan that will further improve health outcomes and help employers and health plans do the most good for the most people.”
Prior to joining Naturally Slim, Butler founded and served as CEO of Maestro Health, taking the company from start-up through an acquisition by AXA. During his time at Maestro, he was instrumental in enhancing the company’s product and service offerings and creating an exceptional culture that earned the company recognition with some of the industry’s most prestigious awards and accolades, including Fortune’s “Coolest Companies to Work For,” Chicago Tribune’s “Top Workplaces,” and Chicago Inno’s “Coolest Companies.” Before he founded Maestro, Butler was the president of PayFlex and, upon its acquisition by Aetna, he served as the CEO and Head of the combined organization. Additionally, he previously held numerous leadership roles at MBI, Novamed, and Allergan.
“Finding better digital tools to improve health and reduce costs, particularly as it relates to obesity and MetS, are key priorities for employers offering healthcare benefits to their employees. This is especially important in today’s age of innovation and at a time when more responsibility is in the hands of consumers when it comes to their healthcare and making decisions about that care,” said Butler. “As I entered this next chapter, it was extremely important to me to find a company that was focused upon the employer and their respective employees and was passionate about making a difference in peoples’ lives, and I believe Naturally Slim is the perfect fit. I am very eager to jump in, and actually feel a bit honored to join this team, and look forward to using past experiences and lessons learned to look at new and innovative ways to continue to reach and engage even more lives in the employer-sponsored space.”
The prevalence of obesity and MetS—a cluster of risk factors that predicts serious conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke—is growing at an alarming rate. Individuals with MetS average 60 percent more in medical costs per year than those without MetS and have a seven times higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and three times higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
For 15 years, Naturally Slim has helped hundreds of employers and plan sponsors—including American Airlines, The University of Texas System, Brinker International, The Hartford, Michaels, Baylor University, Genesis Health System, Oklahoma State University and many others—combat obesity and reduce the prevalence of metabolic syndrome risk factors that can lead to serious health conditions, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and many forms of cancer. To date, Naturally Slim has impacted the lives of hundreds of thousands of employees and members nationwide with its innovative approach to sustainable behavior change. The entire experience, including the digital curriculum, online dashboard, mobile app, social community, coaching support and more, is focused on helping participants build new skills to develop a healthier relationship with food and physical activity.
