MOBE appoints veteran health sector leaders as CEO and CCO

Former Optum exec Mike Ott and health start-up pioneer Kurt Cegielski to drive growth in payer, employer markets for unique MOBE offerings. 

MINNEAPOLIS, August 23, 2022 – MOBE, a health outcomes company focused on improving peoples’ health while reducing health care costs, today announced the appointments of Mike Ott as Chief Executive Officer and Kurt Cegielski as Chief Commercial Officer—Health Plans. Together, Ott and Cegielski join Chris Cronin, CEO—Employers, to lead the company forward on its mission to guide people to better health and more happiness, while reducing health system burden and creating substantial savings for customers. 

By combining data and analytics, MOBE identifies individuals whose health needs are increasing while their health is likely not improving. MOBE Health Guides and Pharmacists work one-to-one with people producing better health outcomes, and as a result, reduced costs to the health care system. 

“MOBE was founded to solve a long-standing public health problem—how do we bridge the gap between the doctor’s office and real life? It’s a challenge that requires a deep understanding of people and our complex health systems. Solving for this requires passion, creativity, and full commitment to our mission. This is exactly what Mike and Kurt are driven to accomplish,” said Mark Evenstad, Founder, and Chairman of MOBE. “As senior executives in the payer sector and in health start-up environments, Mike and Kurt align perfectly with our mission, and are poised to enable MOBE to serve even more people who are trying to get healthier—while helping reduce the financial burden on our health system, employers, and society.” 

With more than 20 years’ experience across financial management, strategic partnerships, and business innovation, Ott will lead MOBE in its next stages of growth. Currently, Ott also serves as a Senior Advisor–Special Government Employee (SGE) in the Defense Innovation Unit, drawing upon his experience with growing businesses. Previously, he served as President and Chief Investment Officer for Optum Financial, part of UnitedHealth Group. Prior to joining Optum, Ott spent seven years as President of U.S. Bank’s Wealth Management division. Ott also served as a Military Advisor and Colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserves, where he led the integrated strategy of Minnesota National Guard's cyber capabilities in coordination with national organizations and agencies. 

“I was drawn to MOBE because I believe in the impact this company can make on people’s lives, and the improvement it can make to our health system. MOBE has already removed over $200 million of unnecessary spend from the healthcare system—and the team has laid an incredible foundation for those who want to get healthier. Now it’s time to accelerate,” said Ott. 

Joining Ott in the C-Suite, Kurt Cegielski will be responsible for MOBE’s health plan customers. With more than two decades of health industry experience, Cegielski has a track record of engaging consumers and securing better outcomes. Most recently, at Icario, Cegielski used behavioral research and data science to encourage people to take action for better health. Prior to Icario, Cegielski was a founder of RedBrick Health, now Virgin Pulse, and worked for more than 12 years on technology innovation and deep consumer insight to reinvent the health and wellness category. 

Similar to Ott, Cegielski was attracted by MOBE’s solution to pressing health care problems. “As someone who has spent their career in the health plan sector, I know how unique, and how needed, MOBE truly is. I’m excited to help payers identify members who are trying to get healthier but need more support, and engage them in a profoundly human way that lowers cost of care,” said Cegielski. 

Founded in 2014, MOBE was created by pharmaceutical experts who aspired to help people reach optimal health outcomes not achieved by traditional, volume-based medication approaches. By combining data science and machine learning with authentic human connection, MOBE supports a whole-person approach to health—focusing on nutrition, sleep, movement, medication, and happiness. MOBE serves large payer systems and self-insured employers to help their populations achieve better health through industry-leading engagement, while reducing costs. 

To learn more about MOBE, visit www.mobeforlife.com. 

About MOBE 

MOBE was founded in 2014 by health industry veterans who uncovered a way to use deep data science to identify people whose health care needs (and costs) are going up, but whose health concerns are not resolved. 

MOBE combines this deep data science with digital health and a novel one-to-one, personalized approach—engaging and supporting participants to achieve healthier and happier lives without any additional cost to the health system, employers, or insurers.