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September 2, 2024 / 2024 Lifetime Achievement & C-Suite Honorees

2024 Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree: Roberta “Bert” Wachtelhausen

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Roberta “Bert” Wachtelhausen has over 30 years of senior leadership experience shaping products and programs at health plans and other health and wellbeing service organizations across Connecticut, including founding the Connecticut-based business WellSpark Health.

In 2023, Wachtelhausen transitioned from president of WellSpark Health to a trusted advisor. She has also established herself as a consultant, pulling from her experience to help executives plot and execute successful growth strategies.

What was your biggest professional accomplishment?

Taking an idea, bringing it to life and having others believe in the vision. WellSpark Health was an idea on paper to address a gap in the market with a vision to disrupt the current delivery model. To make it a reality it required:

  • Possessing the leadership and courage to convince others to invest in that vision with capital and other resources.
  • Assembling a team of people with the right skills and courage to go on this journey with me.
  • Overcoming many obstacles – including financial peril, attempting to launch a new brand at the onset of COVID-19, and keeping employees focused on the mission during all of it.
  • Watching the dream come true as the market responded favorably, our business got off the ground, and WellSpark began to grow.

In what ways are you involved in the community?

I participate on two local boards, the CT Women’s Hall of Fame and CT IFS. I am also an active volunteer, supporting Habitat for Humanity of Central Connecticut.

On the job

Guiding business principle: Treat people the way you want to be treated. Build great teams and coach them to success.

Best way to keep your competitive edge: I am competitive and hate to lose, so I approach every opportunity from the lens of a business student. Research is key. Take the time to study your competitors. And don’t just study why you lose. You also need to study why you win.

Best business decision: Having the courage to start a company. It was the most satisfying roller coaster I’ve ever been on.

Worst business decision: I’ve made two or three bad hires due to the need for speed. I settled when I shouldn’t have. I should have waited for the right person.

Biggest missed opportunity: I can’t think of any. I usually lean in and say ‘yes’ when the opportunity knocks.

Goal yet to be achieved: I am still hungry to make an impact in the world, but right now, I’m working on checking off items on my travel bucket list.

Personal touch in your office: There was always music playing in every office I’ve ever had. It quiets my mind and helps me write and think.

Personal side

Place of residence: South Windsor

Favorite way to relax: Listening to music while cooking dinner in the kitchen

Hobbies: Cooking, enjoying live music, golf and cycling

Last vacation: A cross-country cycling vacation in Portugal last November

Favorite movie: “The Italian Job” and the Oceans trilogy. I love the teamwork involved in the heists.

The car you drive: A Subaru Outback with 170,000 miles on it. With two dogs, four bicycles, golf clubs, and several road trips a year, it fits my family’s lifestyle.

Currently reading: I just finished the Housemaids trilogy by Freida McFadden. The plan is to read some novels by Ruth Ware next.

Favorite cause: Habitat for Humanity. I participate in Women Build every year.

Second choice career: I come from a family of teachers, so it would be logical for me to follow that path. But I think I would probably have gone into coaching sports. I can’t ignore my competitive nature. It’s in my DNA.

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Roberta “Bert” Wachtelhausen

Founder & former President

WellSpark Health

Size of organization: 54 employees

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, UConn’s Neag School of Education; Post-Graduate Work, University of Hartford’s Barney School of Business

 

 

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