Alex Gourlay, Walgreen's co-chief operating officer, will reassume Ashworth's duties.

DEERFIELD, Ill.  — Walgreens president Richard Ashworth is leaving the company to become president and chief executive officer of Tivity Health, a leading provider of fitness, nutrition and social engagement solutions. He will assume his new post effective June 1, and also serve on Tivity’s board.

Richard Ashworth

Walgreens Boots Alliance co-chief executive officer Alex Gourlay, whom Ashworth succeeded as president of Walgreens in February, will step in and retake operational control of the drug chain, in addition to his other corporate responsibilities.

“I want to wish Richard the very best,” Gourlay says. “He’s put at least as much into Walgreens as he got out of it. He deserves all the success in the future.

“Richard and I worked really closely together to develop a transformation strategy for Walgreens. That transformation continues, as we work to improve a fantastic brand and a fantastic company that is so important to America. I’m 100% committed to delivering on the strategy, and understand the critical importance of taking care of our people, taking care of our customers and driving the changes that we started five years ago.”

As Walgreens president, Ashworth was responsible for developing plans for all Walgreens operations, including leadership and management of the business.

In his nearly 30-year career with the company, Ashworth helped lead the evolution of the brand to become a global leader in pharmacy and health and wellness. He served as president of operations from November 2017 to February 2020. Ashworth led Walgreens 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,” says 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  health care 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.”

Ashworth 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 health care.