Wellbeats, a LifeSpeak company is pleased to share that President and CEO Jason Von Bank has been selected as regional winner of the prestigious Ernst & Young (EY) Entrepreneur of the Year® 2022 Heartland Award. Von Bank, who also serves as COO of LifeSpeak, was selected by an independent panel of judges based on criteria that included entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth, and impact, among other core contributions and attributes.

Von Bank became president and CEO of Wellbeats in 2013 and has since repositioned the company from a kiosk-based fitness club product to a SaaS-based, commercial provider of comprehensive, on-demand, virtual wellbeing content and solutions for the workplace. As a result of Von Bank’s leadership, Wellbeats has realized significant adoption in the employer market, resulting in a successful acquisition by LifeSpeak, the leading mental health and total wellbeing platform for employers, health plans, and insurance companies.

“At Wellbeats, we believe that everyone should have access to the tools and support to improve their health and wellbeing, regardless of your age, stage of life, or ability,” said Von Bank. “Our team has worked incredibly hard to provide employers with wellness strategies that support the entire spectrum of employee health. It’s an honor to receive this distinguished award, but more importantly, I’m immensely proud of the impact our team and programming has had on employee health as companies have navigated an ever-shifting landscape in recent years.”

Regional EY award winners were announced June 9 at The Fillmore Minneapolis in an awards presentation featuring accomplished entrepreneurs and business leaders from across the Midwest. Selected regional winners will be considered by a national independent judging panel for the Entrepreneur of the Year National Overall Award. National awards will be presented in November at the Strategic Growth Forum, a preeminent gathering of CEOs, high-growth entrepreneurs, and C-suite executives. The Entrepreneur of the Year National Overall Award winner will then compete for the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year Award, presented in June 2023.

“It was clear from our earliest conversations that Jason was a visionary leader. He and the entire Wellbeats team are fully deserving of this honor,” said Michael Held, CEO and founder, LifeSpeak. “Jason’s ability to continually advance the vision of wellbeing for all, while navigating the complex world of employee benefits and the ever-changing workplace dynamic has enabled the Wellbeats team to introduce innovative offerings that support wellness for people of all ages, interests, and ability levels.  Jason is a shining example of the great leadership that makes a positive impact as we rapidly expand the global footprint of the LifeSpeak family of companies.”

The Entrepreneur Of The Year program has recognized more than 10,000 U.S. executives since its inception in 1986. 

About Wellbeats

Wellbeats, a LifeSpeak company is a leading provider of on-demand virtual fitness, nutrition, and mindfulness classes for use in workplaces of all sizes, health plans, on college or university campuses, multi-family housing, the U.S. military, and fitness and health clubs. Based in St. Louis Park, MN, Wellbeats makes fitness accessible, affordable, and approachable for everyone. More than 1,000 classes and 35+ programs are available to help members stay on track and meet their goals. To learn more, visit www.wellbeats.com or check out a sampling of the company’s fitness classes during a Facebook Live class, and follow Wellbeats on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About LifeSpeak Inc.

LifeSpeak is a leading software-as-a-service provider of a platform for mental health and total wellbeing education for organizations committed to taking care of their employees and customers. With 18+ years of experience creating and curating thousands of expert-led micro-learning videos and other digital content, LifeSpeak’s proprietary library’s depth and breadth of easily consumable content helps companies around the world support their people anytime and anywhere. LifeSpeak serves a diverse global client base across many industries and sectors, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, insurance providers, and other health technology firms. LifeSpeak is the parent company of Lift Digital Inc. (“LIFT session”), ALAViDA Health Ltd. (“ALAViDA”), EnCompass Education Solutions (“Torchlight”) and Wellbeats Inc. (“Wellbeats”). To learn more, follow LifeSpeak on LinkedIn, or visit www.LifeSpeak.com.

About Entrepreneur of the Year

Entrepreneur of the Year is the world’s most prestigious business awards program for unstoppable entrepreneurs. These visionary leaders deliver innovation, growth and prosperity that transform our world. The program engages entrepreneurs with insights and experiences that foster growth. It connects them with their peers to strengthen entrepreneurship around the world. Entrepreneur Of the Year is the first and truly global awards program of its kind.