May 8, 2017 — Ernst & Young (EY) announced the finalists for their Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for 2017 naming Maple Grove resident, Joel Theisen, RN, a finalist. Theisen is among 24 other finalists from the Upper Midwest region which includes Minnesota, Dakotas, Iowa and Nebraska.
“I’m honored to be among this talented and experienced group of thought leaders and change makers,” said Theisen. “This award affirms what we at Lifespark believe – people want a different aging experience.”
He adds that the time is ripe for a major change in how we age in this country. “For too long, we’ve witnessed seniors on and off what Lifespark calls the ‘roller coaster of health care crisis,’ costing them in immeasurable ways. That’s why we developed our whole person senior care model to reduce hospitalization rates and long-term costs for seniors while helping them lived ‘sparked lives.’ For me, that’s the greatest opportunity – to help seniors live passionate, purposeful lives while keeping costs down, not just for them, but the entire health system.”
“EY has honored outstanding entrepreneurs for over 30 years,” said Dominic Iannazzo, EY Entrepreneur of the Year Program Director for the Upper Midwest. “These business leaders are accomplished entrepreneurs who have contributed a tremendous amount to the community.” Collectively this year’s finalists generated nearly $7 billion in revenue and employed over 10,000 people by the end of 2016.
Theisen’s vision is clear: create a whole person model, going beyond traditional home care, to help people live the healthiest, most independent life possible – something he calls living a ‘sparked life.’ Lifespark is an executable platform for improving the wellbeing of a community by providing the ultimate in care and guidance for the individual. Through Joel’s leadership, Lifespark has grown to become one of the largest, single site private-pay home care operations in the country, producing measurable outcomes that the model works. As a result, Theisen’s efforts have had a significant impact on improving health outcomes and saving money in the Twin Cities.
Currently, Lifespark has 500+ employees, 9 partnerships, and serves more than 2,000 seniors each year, achieving double-digit growth during 9 of 12 years.
On May 12, finalists will participate in two interviews with the panel of judges who will winners for each category. Winners will be announced June 8 at the EY Gala at the JW Marriott in Minneapolis.