Author: Julie Kaloides

Dayton, OH—CSafe Global has completed the first commercial test of their new location and temperature tracking technology with exemplary results.
CSafe Global, the innovation leader in temperature-controlled container solutions for the transport of life-enhancing pharmaceuticals, became the first cold chain packaging provider to successfully implement track and trace technology into their active air cargo containers following a flawless commercial pilot shipment.
CSafe partnered with DHL, a leading logistics company, for the pilot shipment. The RKN containers were loaded with temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals and flown from Puerto Rico to Kentucky and then transported by truck to their destination in Chicago.
The shipment began when CSafe engineers successfully integrated state-of-the-art tracking devices into the RKN containers. These tracking devices provide real-time location, container temperature, ambient temperature, container tilt, container shock, door opening/closing events and humidity.
“This technology will bring the insight into shipment status and product condition that customers expect,” noted Tom Weir, CSafe’s Chief Operating Officer. “The tracking devices continually collect data and deliver it in real-time to a cloud-based platform. From there customers and CSafe support staff will have 24/7 access to monitor every shipment and intervene if necessary. It’s this ability to intervene that will give CSafe customers additional peace of mind that their products will arrive in perfect condition for patients. Being first to market with this type of innovation demonstrates CSafe’s commitment to best-in-class products and continuous improvement across our product portfolio.”
With this first commercial pilot now finished, CSafe will move on with additional commercial test shipments during the next few months and incorporate customer feedback into their custom visibility platform. The platform will be device agnostic and able to track additional, commercially available telemetry devices. This flexibility is essential for CSafe as they implement the technology across their entire portfolio of Air Cargo, Parcel and Cell & Gene solutions.
As a key partner focused heavily on their Strategy 2025 of digitalization, DHL has been very supportive of CSafe’s efforts on this project. Patricia Cole, global head Temperature Management Solutions and Same Day for DHL Global Forwarding, noted that, “We at DHL appreciate partners who are dedicated to innovation that not only meets the current need, but goes well beyond to anticipate the future needs of our customers. This technology will revolutionize the cold chain and we are thrilled to be involved.”
CSafe’s CEO, Patrick Schafer, was not at all surprised that the team delivered in spite of challenges 2020 has brought with it. “Tom and his entire team have been researching, planning, testing and retesting every aspect of this project for months to ensure we provide the best possible hardware, software and experience to our customers. They enlisted help and insight from our partners and customers and the result is once again something we are all very proud to offer. While others may have delayed or cancelled innovation efforts due to COVID-19, we saw it as an opportunity to truly test the equipment and software. As always, the CSafe team, our partners at DHL and our active containers performed exceptionally well.”

Healthcare leader brings wealth of operational, consumer and business development experience.
Nashville, TN—PRNewswire—Tivity Health^®, Inc. (Nasdaq: TVTY), a leading provider of fitness, nutrition and social engagement solutions, announced today that its Board of Directors has appointed Richard Ashworth as President and Chief Executive Officer effective June 1. Ashworth most recently served as the president of Walgreens, where he was responsible for developing the strategies and plans for all Walgreens operations including leadership, development and management of the business. He will also serve on Tivity Health’s Board of Directors.
In his nearly 30-year career with Walgreens, Ashworth helped lead the transformation of the brand to become a global leader in pharmacy and health and wellness. Ashworth served as President of Operations from November 2017 to February 2020. Ashworth led the Company’s pharmacy segment as President of Pharmacy and Retail Operations from 2014 to 2017. In 2013, Ashworth also led the development and delivery of the healthcare strategy for the Company’s strategic partnership with U.K.-based Alliance Boots, which Walgreens later acquired.
“We are excited to bring someone with Richard’s extensive background in health and wellness to Tivity Health. Richard has significant experience navigating a rapidly changing healthcare landscape while serving a portfolio of large customers and individual consumers in the intensely competitive retail realm,” said Anthony Sanfilippo, Chairman of the Board of Directors. “We conducted a thorough search and we believe Richard is the right person to lead the Tivity Health team. Richard will leverage our core capabilities in healthcare and consumer-focused nutrition programs to deliver market-leading solutions that focus on profitable revenue growth. With a disciplined approach to managing the business, we are confident Richard will move the Company forward as a leading provider of healthy lifestyle solutions that improve health and lower healthcare costs.”
“Tivity Health is a leader in helping adults adopt healthier behavior through physical activity, nutrition and weight loss, and social engagement solutions. I am excited to partner with our Medicare Advantage clients who invest in the health and well-being of millions of beneficiaries,” said Ashworth. “I look forward to building on the Company’s 30-year history and its deep relationships with health plan clients and employers, while charting a course for growth to build Tivity Health’s trusted brands to deliver even greater value to our shareholders, consumers, clients, partners, and colleagues.”
Richard will be stepping into a role that has been filled by Bob Greczyn, Interim CEO, since February 19, 2020. Greczyn has been a member of the Tivity Health Board of Directors since 2015 and has over 30 years of leadership experience in managed care and healthcare.
“Bob has been an exceptional Interim CEO. In the months that he has led the Company, the country has been disrupted by a global pandemic which immediately changed how all businesses operate,” said Sanfilippo. “On behalf of the Board, we thank Bob for agreeing to serve as Interim CEO and for actively galvanizing and inspiring our colleagues to move the Company forward. Our Tivity Health team, through Bob’s leadership, and with prompt and innovative action, has continued to serve our members and customers, providing solutions to promote a better and healthier lifestyle. We’re fortunate that we will continue to benefit from Bob’s experience as a member of the Board.”
Ashworth has a Doctor of Pharmacy degree (PharmD), and a master’s degree in business administration. He will be based at Tivity Health’s Franklin, TN campus.

Nashville, TN—Tivity Health^® (Nasdaq: TVTY), a leading provider of nutrition, fitness and social engagement solutions, has partnered with the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) and the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs (NANASP) to help meet the increasing demand for healthy, frozen and shelf-stable meals for seniors during the COVID-19 crisis.
Both n4a and NANASP members are part of a national network of aging organizations that provides vital senior nutrition services, including more than 15,000 programs that serve meals to more than 11 million seniors annually through both congregate and home-delivered options.
To support n4a and NANASP coordination of efficient food delivery to seniors throughout the U.S., Tivity Health is providing access to a wide range of bundled meal options from its Nutrisystem^® and South Beach Diet^® menus to n4a and NANASP members. n4a and NANASP will promote this service to its members, and Tivity Health will expedite delivery to agencies serving food insecure older adults around the country.
“At Tivity Health, we have the infrastructure, scale and supply to support senior nutrition needs, including increased demands from the homebound seniors most vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Robert J. Greczyn, Jr., Interim Chief Executive Officer of Tivity Health. “We commend n4a and NANASP for this initiative and for a partnership that will allow us to together quickly supply community agencies with food for the seniors who depend on them.”
During the COVID-19 crisis, these community agencies are seeking solutions for millions of seniors who cannot participate in congregate meal programs due to shelter-in-place restrictions or physical distancing measures. Under the Families First and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Acts, emergency funding was made available to these agencies to meet the increased demand and ensure that meals are provided to greater numbers of seniors in need. This agreement makes Tivity Health a new resource for community agencies to source the food they need for their seniors during this challenging time.
“This initiative comes at a critical time when our members and their partners are concerned about not having enough meals to serve older adults in their communities,” said Bob Blancato, Executive Director of NANASP. “These meals will meet a critical need for older adults, who are especially vulnerable to additional challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Already, the partnership has assisted the Valley Area Agency on Aging in Flint, MI, by providing 5,000 meals for seniors.
“Area Agencies on Aging have always prioritized the nutritional needs of the older adults they serve,” said Sandy Markwood, Chief Executive Officer of n4a. “Now that they are serving much larger numbers of older adults with home-delivered meals due to the COVID-19 crisis, they need access to additional vendors and partners to meet the need. We welcome Tivity Health’s entry into this effort and look forward to working collectively across the Aging Network to rise to the challenge that COVID-19 presents for older adults.”
Nutrisystem offers more than 160 nutritionally balanced, fully prepped menu choices, while South Beach Diet offers low carb, high protein meals and snacks.

Dayton, OH—CSafe Global has contracted with Quantum Logistics in São Paulo to provide containers locally.
CSafe Global, the innovation leader in temperature-controlled container solutions for the transport of life-enhancing pharmaceuticals, has once again expanded their global reach and local presence with the opening of a new hub operation in São Paulo, Brazil.
This is the latest addition to CSafe’s worldwide container operations facilities and the first in Brazil. “Pharmaceutical manufacturing has really taken off in Brazil in recent years and demand has spiked for our active containers to transport temperature-sensitive products,” explained Tom Weir, chief operating officer for CSafe Global. “With the growth we’ve seen, we need to have containers in the area for on-demand use which means setting up a hub operation where we can have containers inspected, cleaned and released for usage. We’ve partnered with Quantum Logistics to make units available at the top-of-the-line Multilog warehouse facility where we will have at least 6,000 square-feet of space to store CSafe RKN and RAP containers.”
The hub location in São Paulo provides a drop location for one-way inbound traffic coming into Brazil as well. Always quick to act in an effort to serve customers where they are, if the demand in Brazil and elsewhere in Latin America increases, CSafe could expand the operation.
“Right now, we’re able to easily repair and maintain containers at service centers in other locations and then move them to customers or hubs as needed. However, should the demand grow to the point that it’s more efficient to repair the containers locally, we will certainly consider expanding the hub into a service center staffed with highly-trained CSafe technicians to fully service and maintain our RKN and RAP container fleet for Latin America.”

Dayton, OH—Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been a discussion topic since before many of us were born. Granted initially it seemed to be limited to science fiction books and movies, but it has very quickly become a reality. Whether it’s Siri, Cortana, Google Assistant, Alexa, navigation systems with traffic updates and re-routing suggestions, mobile banking, online search suggestions, social media photo tagging … most of us are using some form of AI every day. But it hasn’t made an entrance into the cold chain until now.
Why did it take so long? And what changed to make it viable? Both are good questions and the answers come down to complexity. Historically, the cold chain portion of the pharmaceutical market was relatively easy to plan for. There were a handful of manufacturers shipping product to relatively pre-defined locations. That has changed in recent years. With new innovations in pharmaceuticals and biologics, the market is growing. Not only are we seeing growth in the number of companies manufacturing pharmaceuticals, but we’re seeing them expand their geographic reach as they’re able to get approval to manufacture and distribute their therapies in more countries.
To add even more complexity, we must contend with more customs clearance processes, government trade restrictions, political disruptions, natural disasters and now, a pandemic. Predicting where and when a container might be needed with all of these variables is more than any basic computer software or human brain can handle. Which is where AI finally comes into the picture for cold chain. Forecasting container needs has become critical to ensuring that the cold chain remains efficient and cost effective.
The million-dollar question is, “Does it work?” And I can tell you the answer is yes. The operations team at CSafe implemented an AI lease forecasting system last fall and we realized benefits quickly. The changes we’re making as a result of the forecast information aren’t revolutionary, but we would never have had the ability to make them without this system.
For instance, because we can predict when and where containers will be needed weeks in advance, we can use alternate modes of transport to get them there. It may take longer, but it’s more cost effective and we have the time. If on the other hand, the goal is speed to deliver a container urgently, to the tool adjusts to find the best route based on time spent en route, at customs, etc. This has allowed us to meet every lease request we’ve received even during a pandemic that has severely challenged the supply chain.
Your next question is undoubtedly, “How does it benefit the customer?” Very similarly.

1. The containers they need are available where and when they want them – every time.
2. Customers may see reduced lease prices and fees with creative container movement.
3. Difficult, one-way drops are now possible.
4. Long-term lease customers can look for recommendations to optimize their internal logistics.
5. It’s absolutely a win/win scenario for all involved.

Of course, the system is new to us and to the cold chain industry as a whole so we are still tweaking, improving and learning how we optimize the system for even better results. But we are thrilled that this latest investment in innovation for the cold chain is paying off even better than expected.

New York, NY—Altaris Capital Partners, LLC (“Altaris”) announced today that it has completed the acquisition of Kindeva Drug Delivery, formerly known as 3M Drug Delivery Systems, from 3M Company (NYSE: MMM) for total consideration of $650 million.

The business, headquartered outside St. Paul, Minnesota, is a leading global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) that specializes in solving complex drug delivery challenges for its pharmaceutical and biotechnology customers using unique inhalation, transdermal, and microneedle drug delivery technologies.

“We are excited to be partnering with 3M and the Kindeva team in this corporate carve-out transaction,” said George Aitken-Davies, Managing Director of Altaris. “We believe Kindeva is well positioned to build on its successful track record as a leading provider of drug delivery technologies.”

Aaron Mann, CEO of Kindeva, commented: “Over the years, 3M has built a unique drug delivery technologies platform, and I look forward to the opportunities ahead for Kindeva as an independent company in partnership with Altaris. We will be executing on an ambitious growth plan that involves significant capital investments and the addition of new jobs across all our operating regions. This is an exciting time for Kindeva and our talented employees.”

As part of the transaction, 3M will retain a minority interest in the business alongside Altaris.

Schiff Hardin acted as legal counsel to Altaris.

Nashville, TN—Tivity Health^® (Nasdaq: TVTY), a leading provider of nutrition, fitness and social engagement solutions, today announced a new partnership with DispatchHealth, a provider of technology-enabled in-home health care, to deliver healthy, convenient meals for DispatchHealth patients. The new service will initially be offered in the Denver metro area for patients returning home after a hospitalization, those that are hospitalized in their home or for the most vulnerable patients with food insecurity.
DispatchHealth clinicians will perform in-person assessments of each patient’s nutritional support needs. In coordination with DispatchHealth, Tivity Health will deliver customized Wisely Well™ meals directly to the patient’s home within two business days, for up to five days of meals per shipment.
DispatchHealth offers on-demand acute care, and its Advanced Care and Extended Care services for patients, utilizing board-certified medical teams to treat common to complex injuries and illnesses for people of all ages in the comfort of their own home.
Wisely Well pre-packaged meal options are developed by nutritionists to be well-balanced, heart-healthy, nutrient-rich options for older adults. Meal bundles are specially formulated to meet older adults’ dietary needs and are designed to support those recovering after a hospitalization, living with chronic conditions or experiencing food insecurity.
“Healthy nutrition is key to supporting individuals who are discharged from the hospital and returning to their homes to ensure a full recovery and prevent readmission,” said Robert J. Greczyn, Jr., Interim Chief Executive Officer of Tivity Health. “We’re very proud to be partnering with DispatchHealth, who is providing the kind of personalized care that the most vulnerable patients need to overcome the kinds of serious health issues that also drive up healthcare costs. We’re excited to support their efforts and improve the health of patients in need of quality meals and nutritional support.”
Hospital readmissions cost Medicare $26 billion annually, with about $17 billion spent on avoidable hospital trips due to malnutrition after discharge. With the partnership, Tivity Health will be able to complement the high-touch, in-home healthcare experience offered by DispatchHealth with a nutrition solution that is healthy, convenient and affordable for patients.
“Our services offer a personalized approach to high acuity healthcare in the home by not only treating their acute medical problems but also being uniquely positioned to intervene on important identified gaps in social determinants of health. We sought a scalable nutrition solution to meet our patient’s needs in a timely manner,” said Kevin Riddleberger, chief strategy officer and co-founder of DispatchHealth. “We believe nutrition is a key element to the recovery of our patients and ultimately further improving clinical outcomes. We are excited to partner with a forward-thinking organization in Tivity Health to address the most vulnerable and their social needs in the home.”
DispatchHealth currently serves 19 markets across 12 states and is projected to service more than 165,000 patients in 2020. It has been able to avoid more than $200 million in medical expenses by delivering high acuity care safely in the home in order to help patients avoid ER and hospital visits and skilled nursing facility admissions.
While this partnership is currently available for DispatchHealth Advanced Care and Extended Care patients in the Denver metro area, there is potential to expand to additional markets in 2020.

Dayton, OH—CSafe Global, the innovation leader in active temperature-controlled container solutions for the transport of life-enhancing pharmaceuticals, has been rapidly expanding the life science sales team throughout the Asia Pacific region to support a growing customer base.
CSafe has been building its Life Science sales team worldwide for the past 12 months to better serve customers in local markets and the Asia Pacific region has ramped up quite quickly in 2020. “As of this month, we have sales directors in every major area in the region to serve local pharmaceutical and life science companies,” said Scott Garchar, CSafe Global’s senior director of life sciences — Asia. “The region has a robust market and building an exceptional team of people who understand both the industry and the culture in each country is key to providing the service level CSafe is known for.”

Nashville, TN—Tivity Health^® (Nasdaq: TVTY) today announced the release of its new Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Policy. The ESG Policy describes Tivity Health’s priorities for organizational initiatives, principles and culture to meet the company’s environmental, social and governance goals. With the release of the ESG Policy, Tivity Health is announcing new initiatives aimed at limiting waste, protecting the environment and improving sustainability measures, improving the health of members, as well as highlighting Tivity Health’s existing cultural policies and commitments to improving the communities where its employees live, work and play.
“Tivity Health’s ESG Policy highlights our commitment to act as a responsible corporate citizen,” said Robert J. Greczyn, Jr., Interim Chief Executive Officer of Tivity Health. “It demonstrates steps we’re taking to protect the health of our environment, and how these initiatives go hand-in-hand with our mission of improving the lives of older adults.”
The ESG Policy offers insight into the company’s best practices and initiatives, and includes highlights such as:

• Sustainable Distribution — Tivity Health invested in materials to design and build a new, more environmentally friendly cooler to protect frozen and perishable food shipments for its Nutrisystem and South Beach Diet programs. This year, the company began testing the cooler material, which is completely biodegradable, with 92 percent of it being biodegradable within four years. At least 80 percent of Tivity Health’s paper shipping boxes are made from 100 percent recycled fibers, and the company is exploring new materials and supply relationships that will help achieve 100 percent recycled fibers in all paper shipping boxes.
• Sustainability Policies — Tivity Health will evaluate its sustainability practices and continue to explore programs to increase energy efficiency and reduce waste across the company.
• Social Practices — Tivity Health’s mission requires a diverse and inclusive company culture built on ethics and values, which empowers colleagues to make a difference in the lives of partners, members, customers and the communities that Tivity Health serves.
• Community Engagement — The company’s Tivity Cares initiatives allow its colleagues located across the country to engage with community organizations that share Tivity Health’s passion in realizing a healthier world, one community at a time. In 2020, Tivity Health has planned the launch of a new partnership with the Givful philanthropic platform, making it even easier for its colleagues to donate their time, energy, and resources to their favorite charities.

The ESG policy reinforces Tivity Health’s commitment to support better health, improve quality of life and lower health care costs through policies, social practices and health improvement solutions. SilverSneakers supports the social and physical health of older adults and reduces healthcare costs for those who actively participate. Nutrisystem and South Beach Diet are clinically proven weight loss solutions that help customers lose weight and get healthy, and Wisely Well provides healthy meals for seniors and those who are chronically ill.

Nashville, TN—Tivity Health^® (Nasdaq: TVTY), a leading provider of nutrition, fitness and social engagement solutions, today announced that its Board of Directors unanimously elected Tivity Health Director Anthony M. Sanfilippo as Chairman of the Board, effective April 2, 2020. Sanfilippo succeeds Chairman Kevin G. Wills, who remains on the Board as an independent director through the Company’s 2020 Annual Meeting of Shareholders in May.
Robert J. Greczyn, Jr., Interim Chief Executive Officer and Board member of Tivity Health, said, “We thank Kevin for his tremendous Board leadership and valuable contributions over the last eight years. As we look to the future, we are confident that Anthony’s board and leadership experience — including as the former CEO of two highly successful public companies focused on hospitality and customer experience — will be invaluable as we position the Company for future success and complete our ongoing CEO search. We believe our Board and management team will benefit from Anthony’s unique perspective, judgment and counsel. Our Company is focused on driving profitable growth across the business and providing the highest quality solutions to our customers and members.”
Sanfilippo joined Tivity Health as a director in mid-March, 2020. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Papa John’s International, and previously served as the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer for Pinnacle Entertainment Inc., a publicly traded gaming and hospitality company. As CEO of Pinnacle Entertainment, Sanfilippo led the growth of the company over an eight-year period with an improvement in operating margins of over 1,200 basis points from the mid-teens to more than 28%. Investors who held shares of Pinnacle Entertainment during that period realized value appreciation in excess of six times, or a CAGR of approximately 27%. Sanfilippo led Pinnacle’s $4.75 billion sale of its real estate assets to a publicly traded real estate investment trust in 2016, as well as the sale of the remaining assets to a publicly traded gaming company for $2.8 billion in 2018. Prior to joining Pinnacle, Sanfilippo served as President, Chief Executive Officer and board member of Multimedia Games Inc., a publicly traded creator and supplier of comprehensive technology systems, content and electronic gaming devices for various segments of the gaming industry. Most recently, he co-founded Sorelle Capital, Sorelle Entertainment and Sorelle Hospitality, a series of firms focused on investing in and helping grow companies with entrepreneurs in hospitality sectors and related real estate ventures.
“It is an honor to be appointed Chairman of the Board of Tivity Health,” said Sanfilippo. “Tivity Health has a dedicated team of management with an engaged board of directors who are focused on delivering value to all stakeholders of the Company. I look forward to working alongside Bob, the rest of my fellow directors and the management team to continue thoughtfully growing by advancing our mission of empowering adults of every age to live healthier, better lives.”
Wills is stepping down to commit more time to his role as Chief Financial Officer of Pilot Company. Tivity Health also announced the Company’s current directors, Paul H. Keckley, Ph.D. and Lee A. Shapiro, will depart the Board upon expiration of their current terms at the Company’s 2020 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. With these departures and subject to the voting results of the Company’s shareholders, the Board will consist of nine members following its 2020 meeting, including: Sara J. Finley; Robert J. Greczyn, Jr.; Peter A. Hudson, M.D.; Beth M. Jacob; Bradley S. Karro; Benjamin A. Kirshner; Erin L. Russell; Daniel G. Tully; and Anthony M. Sanfilippo (Chairman). Six of the directors will have joined the Board within the last two years.