Recovree, a tech startup that aims to help people achieve and maintain sobriety, has recruited local tech veteran Mike Milkovich as its first chief technology officer.
In his new role, Milkovich will be responsible for leading Recovree's tech strategy, developing new products and expanding the company's tech team.
"Mike's hire sparks a new chapter for Recovree," CEO Melissa Kjolsing said in a release. "We're in an outstanding position to meet the needs of customers, scale our team and help more people change the way they use alcohol and drugs through technology."
Prior to joining Recovree, Milkovich was the CTO of brightpeak financial, a division of Minneapolis-based Thrivent Financial. Thrivent eliminated brightpeak earlier this year, cutting nearly 500 jobs, including 60 layoffs at the company's office in the North Loop.
Milkovich has also served as chief architect at RedBrick Health and co-founder and CTO of Warecorp.
"Recovree's mission and product align perfectly with my skills and professional interests," Milkovich said in a statement. "We have big ideas to expand the product's impact, leveraging machine learning to replace complex rule evaluation systems and implementing self-improving coaching systems."
St. Paul-based Recovree is a tech company that aims to help users recover from substance use disorders through peer support specialists, an increasingly popular, sponsor-like resource for those trying to achieve and maintain sobriety. The startup was founded by Kjolsing, former director of the Minnesota Cup, and her brother, Luke Kjolsing in 2016.
Kjolsing told Minne Inno that Recovree currently has customers in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Iowa. It is also expanding into Kentucky, Ohio and other communities that have been significantly affected by the opioid crisis.
Recovree is also selling to large companies who can offer the startup's services as an employee benefit. Kjolsing declined to name its first enterprise client but said that the contract will start in 2020.
