Press Releases

SKOKIE, Ill. (June 20, 2012) - Retrofit, LLC ( retrofitme.com ) the data-driven, expert-led weight loss company dedicated to permanent weight loss will be addressing the "Impact of Technology on Healthy Behavior Change" on Saturday, June 23rd, with panelists from WeightWatchers.com, Fitbit, University of Miami Health Systems and MapmyFITNESS at Chicago's 2012 Techweek Conference.

Retrofit CEO Jeff Hyman will discuss how a holistic approach to weight loss can deliver results to help combat America's growing obesity epidemic. The group of panelists will address how social implications combined with technology can drive behaviors, possibly making checking personal fitness data as "addictive as Facebook". Renowned executives in the weight loss, fitness and health industry will highlight the technological advances made in those areas of wellness and discuss the tools and behaviors that drive success.

"With two-thirds of the nation overweight, we need to look at what we can do to create sustainable results," said Hyman. "Technology gives us the tools for our teams of experts to analyze data and assist our clients on their journeys to health. Having an ‘angel' on your shoulder is the accountability necessary for the slow and steady results that our program provides."

On the heels of a $2.7 million financing effort this year, RETROFIT provides its clients with hi-tech wireless Fitbit activity trackers and a Wi-Fi scale so that clients can check behavior patterns and results with a team of supportive personal wellness experts, including a Registered Dietitian, Exercise Physiologist and Behavior Coach.

Retrofit's team of experts implements behavioral, nutritional and scientific methods to help clients lose a minimum of 10% of their body weight and maintain the loss for more than one year.

Panelists, who are converging at 1:00 p.m. Saturday on the Second Stage at Chicago's Merchandise Mart, 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza, include some of the biggest influencers in weight loss:

Jeff Hyman, Founder and CEO of Retrofit
Hyman is serial entrepreneur with a relentless passion for creating innovative companies and brands. He is driven by the belief that every individual is capable of doing incredible things once given the opportunity and knowledge. Prior to founding Retrofit, he was Founder and CEO of three internet-based services companies in the talent management field. Jeff served as SVP Sales & Marketing for Ameritox, a private equity-owned healthcare services company. He was the first VP Marketing of Dyson, now a market-leading consumer products company. Jeff gives back by advising a number of startup companies. He holds a BS from The Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from The Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.

Catherine Ulrich, Senior Vice President of WeightWatchers.com
Ulrich leads the Product Development, Content, and Creative teams at WeightWatchers.com. She is responsible for the global strategy and development of WeightWatchers' websites and mobile applications across 11 countries. Since joining the company in 2006, she has held various positions in Product Development and Financial Planning and Analysis. Rather than making money by "not doing evil," Catherine believes you can make money by doing good. She graduated with a BA in Engineering Sciences from Harvard College and a Certificate in Public Health Policy from the Harvard School of Public Health.

James Park, CEO of Fitbit
Park is an entrepreneur with a passion for creating great products and companies. Fitbit is the third startup that he has founded. Previously, James was a Director of Product Development at CNET Networks, where he led product management, engineering, and design for Webshots. Before CNET, James was a co-founder of Windup Labs, which was acquired by CNET in 2005, and prior to Windup Labs, he was the co-founder and CTO of Epesi Technologies. James also worked at Morgan Stanley, where he helped develop trading strategies and software for a quantitative trading fund. James never quite finished his computer science degree at Harvard College.

Jonathan "Jack" Lord, M.D., Chief Innovation Officer at the University of Miami
Dr. Lord, a nationally recognized leader in innovations in health care, has served as Chief Operating Officer of the Miller School of Medicine and UHealth-University of Miami Health System. A board-certified forensic pathologist who began his medical career in the U.S. Navy and later served as chief operating officer of the American Hospital Association and several biotech companies, Lord was the former chief innovation officer and senior vice president of Humana. He created Humana's Innovation Center and serves or has served as a member of a number of prestigious boards and organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee to the Director; the National Advisory Council for Healthcare Research and Quality, which advises the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services; and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations.

Kristina Bartoccini Bryndal, Director of Sales for MapMyFITNESS
Bryndal, who will serve as the Techweek panel moderator for this session, oversees media operations, manages key strategic partnerships and acts as a liaison for both Enterprise and Consumer MMF offerings. Prior to joining MapMyFITNESS, Kristina spent over 15 years in digital advertising in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago working for MTV Networks, Tribune Interactive, LAUNCH Media/Yahoo!, Ignited and Ogilvy & Mather. Kristina graduated Summa Cum Laude from New York University with a BA in Journalism in 1997.

About Techweek 2012 Conference

The Techweek 2012 Conference showcases the technology renaissance and entrepreneurship evolving in Chicago and the Midwest. From June 22-June 26, visitors will experience the life cycle of an emerging technology business – from idea to scale, focusing the conversation around the emergence of a global information society.

For more information or to set up interviews, please contact Jennifer Zeidler at 855-473-8763 x776 or e-mail JenniferZ@RetrofitMe.com.