• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, November 12, 2013

Horizon Media has launched a new marketing and consulting unit dedicated to healthcare and wellness, the New York-based media shop confirmed Tuesday. 

The division is called Scout Wellness and is being run by fitness and healthcare marketing veteran Rich Abend, who will report to Michael Neuman, managing partner of Scout Sports and Entertainment -- a division that Horizon established a few years ago. 

“By investing in health and wellness today, we’re providing our clients a blueprint for helping consumers engage in health and wellness benefits, and improving the future of health in America,” stated Bill Koenigsberg, President, CEO and Founder of Horizon Media. 

The new unit has already started working with several Horizon clients including mattress retailer Sleepy’s, according to The New York Times, which first reported details the operation’s launch. 

Abend joins Horizon Media from The Active Network, where he was VP of Integrated Sales, where he was most recently responsible for launching a workplace wellness platform and leading development on partnerships in the healthcare space for clients including Starbucks, Disney and Best Buy. He was also involved in creating a direct-to-consumer platform with Aetna Healthcare, to help consumers become more physically active through a social community. 

"Rapidly evolving concerns about America’s health have made the health and wellness space very appealing to marketers, and our clients see the need to be part of a solution," stated Abend. Earlier, Abend spent four years as a partner at The Squires Sports Group, a sports and entertainment marketing consulting firm.