Minneapolis – October 05, 2026 -- Blue Zones has appointed Brett McClung as Chief Executive Officer and President, tapping a healthcare executive with more than two decades of experience to lead the longevity research company's next growth phase.
McClung brings direct Blue Zones Project implementation experience from two major health systems
McClung most recently served as President and CEO of Baptist Health in Jacksonville, Florida, where he championed bringing Blue Zones Project to the city. Before that, he was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Leader of Texas Health Resources, serving as executive sponsor of Blue Zones Project in Fort Worth.
A Stanford fellowship shaped his shift from hospital systems to preventive health
Following his Baptist Health tenure, McClung was selected as a Fellow at Stanford University's Distinguished Careers Institute, where he studied moving healthcare from a disease-treatment model toward upstream prevention. He also advised venture-backed healthcare companies in artificial intelligence, ambulatory care, clinical trials and digital health, and studied comparative health systems internationally as an American Marshall Fellow.
He succeeds co-founder Ben Leedle after a leadership transition that began last May
McClung takes over from Ben Leedle, Blue Zones co-founder, who stepped down as CEO last May after nine years in the role but remains with the company to drive strategic growth and partnerships. Scott Marcus served as interim president during the transition and continues as CEO of Blue Zones Kitchen.
Founder Dan Buettner says McClung understands how to deliver financial returns to health systems
Dan Buettner, Blue Zones founder, said McClung's experience as a client on two of the company's largest Blue Zones Projects gives him insight into both community health outcomes and the financial case for healthcare systems. Blue Zones said its ongoing research under Buettner and service to existing community partners will continue without interruption.