August 3, 2015
Shop Talk
Q&A with Paul Reilly, CEO, ActiveRx
RESIDENCE: Westborough
EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.
By Rick Saia
Paul Reilly is a firm believer in fitness. After all, when you're training to be a military officer, you have no other choice. Over the last few years, following 17 years in sales and management with Boston Scientific, he has taken that yen for fitness to ActiveRx, first as owner of the national firm's Westborough franchise, then adding the role of CEO. ActiveRx helps seniors stay in shape, chiefly through its Strengtherapy program, which helps older people prevent and manage symptoms that can lead to major health issues. With 11 locations nationwide, it plans to expand as the number of senior citizens also grows in the U.S.
We live in an age when senior citizens or soon-to-be senior citizens have no intention of slowing down. Is that what you see in many ActiveRx clients?
Quite so. It's particularly true of the baby boom generation, of which (about) 16,000 a day become seniors. If we look at the characteristics of that generation, they kind of rebelled against a lot of things in their youth. It's interesting to see the demographic difference — that attitudinal difference — between that generation and some of the preceding generations.
The health care industry is shifting its focus from prevention of illnesses to keeping people well. Is that a bigger challenge with your company's target customers?
No, I think it actually aligned really well with our approach and philosophy. Too often, what we do see is some of the older seniors who come to us who have, unfortunately, lost a lot of those abilities and capacity to do things they enjoy. These younger, aging boomers, or the folks in their early senior periods, are perfect targets for what we do because we know (it) will help them … preserve a great deal of that functional strength.
It seems as if ActiveRx has hit the right market at the right time. But does the company see its mission as being sustainable well after the baby boom generation has left the stage?
I think so. The younger generation (has) such a tradition of athletics, in both genders. What we do see a lot of in these older generations is that the women, in particular, traditionally weren't all that active with sports in their youth. The younger generation behind the boomers has an understanding of fitness and health and activity and lifestyle that's much more pronounced.
What's the advantage of the Strengtherapy system in helping improve the quality of life for senior citizens?
It's founded on rigorous scientific research. We know what we can do in terms of scientifically preserving functional strength. So, Strengtherapy is not something like a fad, it's not something that's going to be here for a year or two and then fade away. A lot of it can be done in a group setting, so there's a socialization aspect of it that is profound. And this is particularly true in this older population, many of whom don't have a whole lot of social interaction with other folks.
How did your military background prepare you for this role?
Certainly the emphasis on physical fitness is well established. And at West Point, it was an order of magnitude higher than that. Then in running the company, the attributes and qualities that the typical military officer exhibits or possesses are really well matched with the challenges of leading a company.
You had 17 years in sales and management at Boston Scientific. How did that experience prepare you for this one?
Remarkably well. Boston Scientific is a phenomenal company. It's a shining example of a company that really is interested in developing their people. They invested in me and in my total development as a businessman, and it was amazing how seamless the transition was.
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Paul Reilly, ActiveRx, Westborough
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