Ballad Health Names New Innovation, Investment Executive

Mike Anderes to lead Ballad Ventures, focused on rural and community health solutions

Published on Feb. 4, 2026

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Ballad Health has appointed Mike Anderes as the new managing director of Ballad Ventures, the health system's innovation and investment arm. Anderes will lead partnerships and ventures focused on improving rural and community health through digital solutions and strategic investments.

Why it matters

Ballad Health serves a largely rural region in Tennessee and Virginia, where access to healthcare and innovative technologies can be challenging. Anderes' experience in digital health, innovation, and investment strategy is expected to help Ballad Ventures identify and implement solutions that bring care closer to patients in these communities.

The details

Anderes is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and has over 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry. He previously co-founded and served as president of Chicago-based Vale Health, was the chief digital officer for Froedtert Health in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and was president of Inception Health, Froedtert's digital innovation company.

  • Anderes' appointment was announced on February 4, 2026.

The players

Mike Anderes

The new managing director of Ballad Ventures, Ballad Health's innovation and investment arm. Anderes has over 30 years of experience in healthcare and a background in digital health, innovation, and investment strategy.

Bo Wilkes

The chief growth officer for Ballad Health and president of Ballad Ventures. Wilkes stated that Anderes' experience will help patients, clinicians, and communities.

Ballad Health

A health system that serves a largely rural region in Tennessee and Virginia, where access to healthcare and innovative technologies can be challenging.

Ballad Ventures

Ballad Health's innovation and investment arm, which will be led by Mike Anderes.

Froedtert Health

A health system in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where Anderes previously served as the chief digital officer and president of Inception Health, the system's digital innovation company.

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What they’re saying

“I'm honored to join this team and look forward to working with our clinicians, leaders and partners to find solutions that improve health, grow opportunity and bring care closer to home.”

— Mike Anderes (Ballad Health press release)

“Mike is respected nationwide for connecting frontline care, digital innovation and investment strategy.”

— Bo Wilkes, Chief growth officer, Ballad Health and president of Ballad Ventures (Ballad Health press release)

What’s next

Anderes is expected to begin his new role at Ballad Ventures in the coming weeks, where he will work to identify and implement digital health solutions and strategic investments to improve healthcare access and outcomes in Ballad Health's rural service area.

The takeaway

Ballad Health's appointment of an experienced healthcare innovation and investment executive like Mike Anderes signals the organization's commitment to leveraging digital technologies and strategic partnerships to address the unique healthcare challenges facing rural communities in its service region.