Donato J. Tramuto, CEO of Tivity Health, Inc. (NASDAQ: TVTY), a leading provider of fitness and health improvement programs, with strong capabilities in developing and managing network solutions, will be the featured speaker at Commencement on Saturday, May 13.
Ceremonies will be held at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. in Steele Hall, recognizing recipients of bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and the advanced certificate.
Mr. Tramuto is a recognized innovator and industry leader with more than 35 years of healthcare experience, with a deep commitment to global healthcare access, a steadfast focus on patient outcomes and a keen understanding of digital solutions.
Tramuto joined Tivity Health’s (formerly Healthways) board in 2013, became chairman in 2014 and CEO in 2015. In less than a year after being named CEO, he executed a turnaround of the company’s performance by harnessing the lessons he learned through various adversities and “bulldozer” moments, and engineered a creative sale of one of the company’s non-performing divisions, adding nearly $1 billion of valuation to the company. In 2008, he founded Physicians Interactive Holdings (now Aptus Health), a global provider of insight-driven digital engagement solutions for healthcare professionals and consumers. He sold the company to Merck Pharmaceuticals in 2013.
In 2011, Tramuto founded Health eVillages, a non-profit organization which provides state-of-the-art mobile health technology in the most challenging clinical environments. He is also the chairman and founder of the Tramuto Foundation, which helps individuals and organizations achieve their educational and healthcare goals. He is also the author of, “Life’s Bulldozer Moments: How Adversity Leads to Success in Life and Business,” a Hamilton Press publication.
President Virginia Horvath noted, “Having Mr. Tramuto speak about his own life, career, and 'bulldozer' moments will be inspiring to the graduates. He is an excellent speaker, whose message will appeal to families and friends as well.”
Tramuto has also been widely recognized for his more than three-decade commitment to human rights and social change and recently recognized by the New York Times as a global healthcare activist. In 2014, he was honored alongside Hillary Clinton, Robert DeNiro and Tony Bennett, with the prestigious Robert F. Kennedy Ripple of Hope Award and has been recognized on three different occasions by PharmaVOICE as one of the Top 100 Most Inspirational Healthcare Leaders. In 2015, he received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from the College of Fine Arts at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. He will receive a second honorary doctoral degree in late May from the Thomas Jefferson University School of Medicine and will be honored in May at the JFK Library with the Robert F. Kennedy Embracing The Legacy Award.
Tramuto serves on several executive leadership boards, including the board of the Boston University School of Public Health, the Brown University Healthcare Leadership Board, the board of directors for Sharecare, Inc., the board of Safe Harbor Compliance and Clinical Development and the Livongo Health Foundation. In 2016, he was appointed to the board of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights. He is also chairman of the board of Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights Europe.
Tramuto resides in Nashville, Tenn.; Ogunquit, Maine, and Florence, Italy. He was elected in 2006 and re-elected in 2013 as a Selectman for the Town of Ogunquit where he served five of his six years as Chairman of the Board.
