Welcome to sunny Orlando, Florida, where we have gathered our community in full force for our much-anticipated annual Thrive Summit. With over 1,000 colleagues coming together in-person and virtually, the enthusiasm was palpable as Day One set in motion the collective goal to light the path toward better health engagement, outcomes, and value.
Before we peer down the rabbit hole, let’s set the scene:
At the Hyatt Regency Orlando, attendees started checking in and the energy began to swirl. Guests were greeted by our friendly Thrive princess who hopped on surprise calls to their loved ones with messages of “we wish you were here” and “this is so exciting!”
DJ Cassandra, our resident Thrive musical genius, was serving up some of our favorite tunes from our Thrive Summit 2025 playlist, immediately energizing the building crowd. With her sounds around them, attendees took in the lay of the land before deciding where to start lighting their path…
…and down the Thrive rabbit hole we go!
The energy was high as pre-conference sessions commenced this morning. There was something for everyone, from a look into company priorities for consultants and brokers, to an interactive client workshop. One standout was Neeta Jain, who delivered an empowering discussion in the Women in Leadership session, inspiring all to claim their seat with confidence at any and every workplace table.
Through the looking glass, we found a wonderland of breakout sessions
Our first set of breakout sessions continued the day’s momentum with conversations centered around industry trends, best practices, and client experiences. Highlights included:
- Bottomline Technologies explored the value shift to an independent TPA, highlighting culture’s role in driving change management.
- Adventist Risk Management outlined actionable engagement strategies to upscale programs while staying within tight budgets.
- Honda and Montgomery County dissected incentive strategies, underlining the effectiveness of tailored rewards in promoting wellbeing cultures.
- HP and Danaher showcased program strategies that emphasize preventive care and proactive health management.
- A health system panel featuring Tampa General Hospital and Nicklaus Children’s Health System shared bold ideas on managing challenges and aligning initiatives for growth.
- Chief Product Officer Jeff Yoshimura presented the Personify Health 2025 Product Roadmap, crucially enriched by client feedback.
- Personify Health experts provided deep dives on topics including personalized advocacy, care management, and our expanding partnership program.
Tick-tock… Time for the main stage!
With $36B+ wasted on unused and misused benefits in the past 30 days, it’s clear that people don’t use solutions that don’t fit. Executive Chairman Chris Michalak kicked-off our mainstage program by showcasing Personify Health’s unique approach to delivering meaningful health outcomes while reducing costs. Emphasizing that Personify is about making the health experience personal for everyone, he outlined the four things the company is doing to create a more personalized journey – any why those matter.
Our host, Mark Jeffries, then welcomed Personify’s new CEO Pete McCabe for a short Q&A session alongside Chris. The two leaders shared more about their vision for the company’s future, what they get excited about, and what they hope Thrive attendees will get out of this year’s event.
Next, Personify’s SVP of Client Growth Kristen Larson unveiled the winners of the Fourth Annual Thrive Awards. These engaged and motivated clients have generated successful programs with meaningful outcomes – including better employee engagement, and improved health and wellbeing. What’s the secret sauce in most of our winners’ programs? Providing personalization that meets members’ needs. We love to hear it!
Finally, our program concluded with actor and cancer advocate James Van Der Beek. After charming the in-person and virtual audiences with tales from his entertainment career, he stirred hearts with his health story. James’ colorectal cancer diagnosis and subsequent journey underscored the importance of prevention and early detection. The father of six reflected on his appreciation for both family and professional caregivers, the power of compassion for others and yourself, and the importance of a healthy lifestyle and positive mindset even when it’s tough. James also noted that if he could change something about our national’s health system he’d want, “one portal for everything… that would be a miracle.” We agree, James!
What a great first day! Tonight, those in Orlando will celebrate with a whimsical Mad Hatter-themed Welcome Party!
If you’re joining us via livestream, we’d love to hear your thoughts from Day One! Post your favorite Day One memory to LinkedIn and use hashtag #ThriveSummit2025 – and don’t forget to tag Personify Health. We hope you’re feeling the energy, inspiration, and magic!
Don’t be late for a very important date: Day Two!
Eager and inspired, we look forward to what tomorrow brings as we continue to unite in lighting the path to better health! Stay tuned for more insights and highlights from the Thrive Summit 2025.
