Mike Long (American businessman)
W. Michael Long | |
|---|---|
| Born | William Michael Long c. 1953 (age 71–72)[1] |
| Other names | Mike Long |
| Alma mater | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
| Occupation | Business executive |
| Years active | 1980s–present |
| Known for | Former CEO of Healtheon/WebMD |
| Spouse | Betty |
| Children | 3 |
Mike Long is an American business executive and entrepreneur known for leading major technology and healthcare companies including Healtheon/WebMD, Homestore (now Move, Inc.), and Lumeris. He has been recognized for his work integrating technology into healthcare management.[2]
Early life and education
Long earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.[3][4]
Career
Continuum
Long served as president and chief executive of Continuum, a software and consulting firm specializing in insurance systems, which was later acquired by Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC).[3][5]
Healtheon and WebMD (1997–2001)
In 1997, Long became chief executive officer of Healtheon, a healthcare technology company founded by Jim Clark.[6] Under Long’s leadership, Healtheon merged with WebMD and launched an initial public offering (IPO). He later served as chairman of the combined company.[7] During his tenure, Long reoriented the firm from serving insurers toward developing software and services for physicians and healthcare providers.[6]
Long envisioned cutting $300 billion in waste from the healthcare industry, but what he "saw as waste others saw as income."[5] Long's objectives for WebMD would meet significant resistance from the industry, and were never able to match his aspirations. WebMD exists now only as an easily accessible encyclopedia of health-related information.[5]
Homestore / Move, Inc. (2002–2003)
Long became CEO of Homestore in January 2002, at a time when the company was recovering from accounting controversies and leadership turnover.[8] He implemented restructuring measures and helped stabilize operations before his departure the following year.
Lumeris and Essence Group Holdings
In 2001 Long became chairman and chief executive officer of Lumeris, a healthcare technology company that supports value-based care models, and of its parent, Essence Group Holdings Corporation (EGHC).[2][7] Under his leadership, Lumeris has partnered with health systems and payers to manage medical spend and improve care coordination.[2]
Sulgrave Partners
In late March 2009, along with Taylor Griffin and Jack Dennison, Long launched Sulgrave Partners LLC, a business advisory–consulting firm headquartered in Washington, D.C.[9][10] He is also chairman of NEOS Geosolutions, a privately held geosciences technology company, and chairman of Essence Group Holdings Corporation (EGHC), a privately held managed care and healthcare information technology business that develops and markets tools and technology supportive of more accountable, patient-centered healthcare.
In popular culture
Long’s role at Healtheon was profiled in Michael Lewis’s 1999 book The New New Thing, which chronicled Silicon Valley entrepreneurs during the internet boom.[11]
Personal life
Long is married to his college sweetheart Betty and has three children.[6] He has been described by Fortune magazine as “soft-spoken and strait-laced.”[6]
References
- ^ "Definitive Proxy Statement: Homestore, Inc". SEC. April 25, 2003. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
- ^ a b c "W. Michael Long – Chairman and CEO". Lumeris. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
- ^ a b "W. Michael Long Biography". The Wall Street Transcript. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
- ^ "W. Michael Long". Healthcare Leaders. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
- ^ a b c "How the Directors Brought a Dot-Com Back From the Brink," Corporate Board Member Magazine, January/February 2007.
- ^ a b c d Useem, Jerry (21 February 2000). "WebMD's High-Tech Headache". Fortune. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
- ^ a b "W. Michael Long, Former Healtheon/WebMD Chairman and Chief Executive, Named EGHC President and Chief Executive Officer" (Press release). Business Wire. 24 May 2011. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
- ^ "Mike Long (American businessman)". Wikipedia. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
- ^ Rethmeier, Blain K. (2009-04-01). "Long, Griffin, and Dennison Launch Sulgrave Partners". Potomac Flacks. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
- ^ "Our Team". www.sulgravepartners.com. Archived from the original on 2009-09-07. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
- ^ Lewis, Michael (1999). The New New Thing: A Silicon Valley Story. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 0-393-04724-5.