Earlier this week, we announced that Ted Tobiason joined GetInsured in the role of Chief Financial Officer. Ted spent 23 years as a technology investment banker focusing mostly on IPOs as well as convertible debt and private placements. His clients included Uber, Airbnb, SoFi, Cruise Automation, Twitter, Alibaba, Tesla, and Lucid Motors. Ted most recently was CFO at Lime, which operated scooters, e-bikes and shared cars in more than 100 cities and 32 countries.
Ted became interested in the public sector health care IT market for two reasons; it’s the largest market that has yet to move to the cloud, and anything that can make health care operate more efficiently has the power to improve lives at an enormous scale. More specifically, he was drawn to opportunity with GetInsured because the product is proven in the state Affordable Care Act exchange market and there is still a great deal of growth available in exchanges.
“There is also enormous opportunity in adjacent markets in government healthcare IT. As CFO I think there will be opportunities to accelerate that growth whether it’s by accessing the capital markets or targeted acquisitions.”
What drives your success?
There are a few things that all contribute to something feeling right:
- Being a part of a team that works well together.
- Having a purpose.
- Driving economic value.
Where do you see the greatest opportunities to make an impact at GetInsured?
We are an engineering and product driven company. Where finance can help most is in making sure the company is optimizing how it capitalizes its growth and in pursuing acquisitions.
What do you love about the technology industry?
I truly believe that technology can make the world a better place. If we can make exchanges, and government healthcare IT more broadly, work more efficiently we can help more people get better healthcare all at lower costs. The company began with a goal to get everyone insured, a worthy goal. We can help people get better information and make better choices while also reducing costs.
What career accomplishments you are most proud of?
When someone who worked for me years ago still thinks of me as a mentor. Through my career I have had bosses and people senior to me take the time to help me learn and develop. I’m eternally grateful to them and do my best to pay it forward.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
My family comes first. I’ve been married for 22 years, have an 18-year-old son, a 15-year-old daughter and a 9-year-old German Shepherd. I lift weights with my son and jog with my daughter. When I get time, I play guitar in a band that plays bars and clubs in the Bay Area a few times each year.
What is one interesting thing about you that many people don’t know?
I was a fairly serious amateur boxer a very long time ago. I boxed in gyms in Houston, New York and San Francisco and ran the Columbia University Boxing Club for a year. I still hit the mitts and the bag.
We look forward to working with Ted and everything that he brings to the company!
