Arthur J. “Archie” Roberts, MD, an internationally recognized cardiac surgeon and a former quarterback for the Cleveland Browns and the Miami Dolphins, has been named chief medical officer (CMO) of LifeWallet, one of the country’s leading healthcare technology companies.
“Archie Roberts is a cutting-edge leader in the cardiac and wellness field, particularly in the fight against cardiovascular disease, obesity and concussion,” said Norberto Menendez, LifeWallet founder and CEO. “Archie’s focus on early prevention, creating wellness programs and tracking health data fits perfectly with our proven healthcare technology. We’re honored to have him as our CMO and look forward to working with him to create life-changing programs that will improve the lives of people.”
Dr. Roberts, a graduate of Columbia University, is the founder of the Living Heart Foundation (LHF), a 501(c)(3) national organization dedicated to combating cardiovascular disease and obesity. In his role with LHF, Roberts travels the country, working with physicians, hospitals, NFL players and the public in the battle to create “HOPE”
(Heart, Obesity, Prevention, Education) for everyone. His LHF group also was involved in a national tragedy, invited by New York City to evaluate the health of the rescue workers at Ground Zero, two weeks following 9/11.
A Visiting International Professor in China and India, Dr. Roberts has successfully combined athletics and education throughout the years of service.
A two-sport star at Columbia University — where he is enshrined in the school’s Athletics Hall of Fame for his prowess on the football gridiron and the baseball diamond — Dr. Roberts was drafted by both the New York Jets of the AFL and Cleveland Browns of the NFL in 1965. He signed with Cleveland and served as the backup quarterback while attending medical school full time at Case Western Reserve University. The Browns, in a unique move, funded Dr. Roberts’ medical school tuition. In his third year of medical school, he convinced Case Western to grant him a six-month leave of absence so he could play with the expansion Miami Dolphins in 1967, where he backed up eventual Hall-of-Famer Bob Griese.
After graduation from medical school Dr. Roberts did his hospital-based residency training and subsequently he became a nationally known cardiac surgeon performing over 5,000 open heart surgeries and training dozens of young doctors in the art of cardiothoracic surgery.
Dr. Roberts, himself, trained at Yale, the National Institute of Health and Cornell New York Hospital. He practiced as a heart surgeon at six hospitals around the country, including a period as professor and chair of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Boston University. He has received multiple national awards from such groups as the NCAA, American Heart Association, National Football Association, Deerfield Academy, Columbia University and John F. Kennedy Society.
“LifeWallet’s unique, proven ability to combine technology and healthcare in combating chronic disease is something I wanted to become involved in,” Dr. Roberts said. “Using technology and wellness plans to help individuals lead healthier lives is the future of healthcare in this country — and the world. I am proud to join the LifeWallet team so that, together, we can make a difference in people’s lives.”
