1st Wellness University in RI. Two day session. Train-the-trainer component for 25 trainers from various organizations. Held at and sponsored by Amica Mutual Ins. Co., Lincoln, RI. Conducted by: David Hunnicutt, Ph.D. & Michael Samuelson.

1st Annual Meeting of the Council- held at and hosted by AMICA Mutual Insurance Company. Directors elected. click here for more info on meeting.

12th Annual Art and Science of Health Promotion Conference, Washington, D.C.

Meeting of WELCOA Board of Directors - attending from WWCRI, Mark R Converse, Pres., Jeff Johnson, VP, William Waters, PhD., Director and Amanda Graham Chair of the Measurement & Best Practice Committee. Meeting set up with RI Legislative Delegation by A. Graham.

Annual Meeting of the WWCRI held at AMICA Mutual Insurance Company. Directors elected. Click here for information presented at the meeting.

Worksite Health Awards Breakfast. The annual awards breakfast included the presentation of 4 organizations with the national WELCOA Well Workplace Award. Picture (L-R) Ron Baptista, CEO, BCBSRI; Dr Patricia Nolan, Director, RIDOH; Arthur Sampson, CEO, Newport Hospital; Joe Solomon, CEO, Beacon Mutual Insurance Company. Picture 1|

Board Meeting. Council board members met with WELCOA liaison Michael Samuelson at Beacon Mutual Insurance. Picture 1 |

6th Wellness University. University hosted by Memorial Hospital with 12 member companies represented. Sheila Jacobs, M. Ed., C.H.E.S., Health Promotion Coordinator, Lifespan, was chair of the event.

Council awarded worksite Obesity Grant for "Programs to Promote Healthy Eating - Obesity Control Initiatives" from the RI Department of Health.

Annual Meeting of the WWCRI held at New England Institute of Technology. Click here for information presented at the meeting.

Meeting with Governor Donald Carcieri. Dr. Patricia Nolan, Director HEALTH, Mr. Michael Samuelson, Mr. Jeff Johnson, Mr. Todd Cipriani and Mrs. Sue Carcieri meet with the Governor to discuss the Well State initiative.

7th Well Workplace University. University hosted by Roger Williams University with 15 member companies represented. Kim Vallet, BC/BS RI and Sheila Jacobs, M. Ed., C.H.E.S., Health Promotion Manager, Lifespan, were chairs of this event.
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RI Small Business Advocacy Council. Mr Jeff Johnson, President, spoke at a meeting of the SBAC on "Improving the Health and Safety of Working Rhode Islanders by Promoting and Supporting Worksite Health Promotion".

CEO Breakfast Health Awards. During a CEO awards breakfast, several RI organizations received the national Well Workplace Award. At the picture link below are (left to right)Mayor Scott Avedisian, City of Warwick; Jane Jordan, City of Warwick; James Malachowski, RDW Group; Michael Samuelson, Speaker; Pam Todd, AMICA; Robert MacKenzie, AMICA; Jeff Johnson, Beacon Mutual Insurance. Front row (LtoR) Heather Smith; RDW Group; Rosemary Scribner, HASBRO; Dianne Wilkie, AMICA. (Picture)

Full Council meeting with guests GlaxoSmithKline. Topic: "Strategies and Tools for Health & Productivity Management". picture

WELCOA awarded ETCO, Inc a Sliver Well Workplace award.

Governor Donald L. Carcieri's "2004 State of the State" message highlighted the work of the First Lady in health promotion and the goal to make Rhode Island the first "Well State" in the nation by December 2006.

WELCOA awarded United HealthCare a Bronze Well Workplace award.

8th Wellness University. University hosted by United HealthCare with 18 member companies represented. Lisa Holland, United HealthCare and Sheila Jacobs, Health Promotion Manager, Lifespan, were chairs of this event. (Picture)

10th Annual Worksite Health Awards Breakfast. Sponsored by the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, and BCBSRI, the breakfast recognized 50 organization with the local Worksite Health Award. The Worksite Wellness Council of RI recognized 5 organizations with the national WELCOA Well Workplace Award.
Picture of Award Winners
Governor Carcieri Speaks - The First Lady Talks With Jeff Johnson & Edna Poulin

Council Director’s Retreat. Jeff Johnson, President, attended the national WELCOA director's retreat in Omaha, NE. Picture

Brown Bag Luncheon. Care New England Wellness Center hosted a meeting for member companies working on the well workplace application. Washington Trust, Salve Regina University, and Electric Boat attended the session.

6/16

Governor's Cabinet Presentation. A task group of the Council that included Todd Cyprian,Lifespan, Mark Converse, AAA, Janice Williams Oliver, Clear Channel, Marie Kessel, Memorial Hospital, and Edna Poulin, RIDOH, did a presentation to the Governor's cabinet to kickoff the RI State Government Well Workplace initiative and to introduce them to the Well State concept
Cabinet Meeting Pictures : #1 | # 2 | #3 |

Annual Meeting. The Council's annual meeting was held at Hasbro. Guests and speakers included the Honorable Governor Donald L. Carcieri & First Lady, Sue Carcieri, Hasbro President & CEO, Alfred J. Verrecchia, and Leadership RI President & CEO, Kathleen A. Swann, Ph.D. During the meeting Kathleen Swann announced a partnership with LRI and the Council.

(Meeting Presentation) (LRI Announcement)

9th Wellness University. University hosted by Salva Regina University.

American Heart Association Award. The American Heart Association awarded the Council a certificate of achievement for it's work in 2004. It was presented at their "Go Red for Women" Breakfast and was accepted by Council board member Ms. Pat O'Donnell.

Leadership RI (LRI) and the Council hosted an"Eye Opener" breakfast for 50 LRI alumni to discuss our partnership in health promotion at worksites and to present the plan to make Rhode Island the first Well State in the nation by 2006.
Speakers: Michael Samuelson, BCBSRI; Lisa Holland, Director of Quality Improvement & Health Promotion, UnitedHealthcare of NE; Richard LeClerc, CEO of Gateway Healthcare, Inc; Todd Cipriani, VP Professional Services at Newport Hospital and President of the Worksite Wellness Council of RI.
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10th Wellness University. University hosted by Amica Mutual Insurance Company.

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Governor's State House Rally. Governor Donald Carcieri held a State House rally of invited business leaders to spotlight the need and benefits of worksite wellness. Sponsored by the Worksite Wellness Council or RI, the event included a walk around the State House and into the rotunda.
ABC6 News Clip Of Governor's Rally (courtesy of ABC6.com-WLNE)
Governor's Press Release
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State of Rhode Island "Get Fit, Rhode Island! State Employee Wellness Initiative.

Annual Meeting. The Council's annual meeting was held at Beacon Mutual Insurance Company. To view the meeting presentation entitled 2005 Annual Meeting, click here.

Governor Enlists State Workers To "Be Fit". Governor Donald Carcieri held a State House rally to launched “Get Fit, Rhode Island,” an effort to “reduce the barriers that state workers face in leading active and healthy lifestyles” by providing exercise programs, health resources and even healthy shopping (in the form of a farmers’ market) right at work.
Visit the State Employees Wellness Initiative website, http://www.getfitri.ri.gov/
Read the Providence Business News article, click here.

Governor Donald L. Carcieri and the Worksite Wellness Council of Rhode Island hosted a Breakfast for the Business Community to focus attention on the Well Workplace and Well State initiatives. Over 100 attendees heard the Governor present the case for worksite health promotion and what the State is doing to move this initiative forward with a target date of December 2006
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The New England Employee Benefits Council hosted a breakfast meeting on WORKSITE WELLNESS IN RHODE ISLAND.
Speakers: James O. Prochaska and William Waters, PhD

11th Wellness University. University hosted by EDS in Cranston, RI.

Raytheon IDS, a Silver Well Workplace award recipient, was recognized by the American Heart Association for their Go Red Campaign. First Lady, Sue Carcieri, presented the award to George Caras Director of Facilities and Heather Lemmon HR Generalist. Picture

12th Wellness University. University hosted by AAA Southern New England.

Business Expo 2006, The Council, for the seventh year, had a booth at this two-day event held at the Providence Convention Center.

12th Annual Worksite Health Awards Breakfast. Sponsored by the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, BCBSRI and the Worksite Wellness Council of RI, the breakfast recognized 83 organization with the local Worksite Health Award and 17 organizations with the national WELCOA Well Workplace Award.
Congratulations to these national Well Workplace Award Recipients.
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Executive Director. Ms. Debra Foley became Executive Director of the Council. For several years. Deb has worked with the Council as a consultant administering grants since 2000.

Annual Meeting. The Council's annual meeting was held at EDS in Warwick, RI.
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To view the meeting presentation entitled 2006 Annual Meeting, click here.

Edna Poulin, Director Worksite Health, retired from the Department of Health and as Liasion to the Council. The Council began as a result of Edna's vision to connect the business community to health promotion. Since 1997, she served as a champion of worksite health promotion and gave life to the RI Well State vision.

Help Sessions. The Council's Professional Development Team hosts help sessions for current members in the process of completing award applications. To view pictures of the last session, click the following links: Picture 1 | Picture 2

The Council held a round-table discussion with the American Cancer Society and local employers looking for assistance with tobacco issues.

Award Winners. WELCOA announced five more Rhode Island organizations as Well Workplace Award recipients. The new award winners are: EDS(Gold), Taco(Gold), Dept. of Business Regulation(Silver), Bryant University(Silver), and State of Rhode Island(Silver).

Council Meeting. A repesentative from Purell presented "How to Fight the Spread of Germs in Your Workplace".

13th Wellness University. University hosted by AMICA Mutual Insurance.
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Council Members Meeting. Cindy McDermott, Director of Program and Membership Development of the YMCA of Greater Providence presented information on the YMCA's "Healthy Lifestyle Program". Picture 1

The Council was a recipient of the New England Employee Benefits Council’s (NEEBC) 2006 “Best Practice” Award. This annual award is presented to companies which best exhibit innovation and creativity in the planning and delivery of their employee benefit programs.

Board of Directors & Committee Chairs Meeting held at EDS, 171 Service Ave., Warwick, RI at 8:00 a.m.

State of Rhode Island Silver Award Celebration. Governor Donald L. Carcieri held a Welca Silver Award celebration at the State House. The Governor present the Wellness Champions from each state agency letters of accomplishment.
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Well Workplace Applications. The Council mailed 37 Well Workplace Award Applications to WELCOA.

In the last big push to achieve the "Well State" vision, Executive Director, Ms. Debra Foley, President, Ms. Gail Davis, and a host of stakeholders including BCBSRI, United Healthcare, and Provant Health Solutions staff, coordinated the applications completion and submittal to WELCOA.

New Membership rates. For the first time in 8 years, the Council increased its membership rates to keep pace with the costs associated with providing service to our growing membership and the advancement of a "Well State" designation for Rhode Island.

Well State Dinner. Members of the Council entertained WELCOA visitors Stephen LaCagnin, Chairman of the Board of the Wellness Councils of America and Kelly Nix, Director of Council Affairs, the night before the Well State event.
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"Well State" designation granted Rhode Island. In ceremonies and celebrations at the State House in Providence, RI, the State of Rhode Island received the designation as the first “Well State” in the Nation.

The award was presented to the Worksite Wellness Council of Rhode Island and Governor Donald L. Carcieri. The Well State designation was bestowed by Stephen LaCagnin, Chairman of the Board of the Wellness Councils of America. An estimated 400 people attended the State House event. To read all the Well State details, click here.

Council Recipient of HEALTH Community Partnership Award. At a meeting at the Department of Health, the Council was presented the "Community Partnership Award" for work to advance public health in the workplace. Photo

14th Wellness University. The spring University was attended by 30 company representatives and was hosted by CVS at their Headquarters in Woonsocket, RI. Photo 1 | Photo 2 | Photo 3 | Photo 4 | Photo 5 | Photo 6 | Photo 7 | Photo 8 |

Business Expo 2007. For the 8th straight year, the Council had a booth (#820) at the two-day Providence Chamber of Commerce business event in the Providence Convention Center. Photo

13th Annual Worksite Health Awards. Co-sponsored by the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI), the breakfast event is designed to recognize Rhode Island businesses that are working to promote worksite wellness.

Well State Awards Ceremony. The Council held its "Well State” Awards ceremony at "Rhodes on the Pawtuxet". With over 360 attendees, the event recognized those Rhode Island organizations that earned the WELCOA Well Workplace Award and thereby helped Rhode Island achieve the designation as the first Well State in the nation.

Annual Meeting. The Council's annual meeting took place Tuesday, July 17th, at 8:00am at EDS in Warwick, RI. A total of 36 members attended the meeting. To view the meeting presentation entitled 2007 Annual Meeting, click here.

Speakers Bureau. The Council's leadership team participated in various speaking engagements around the State to raise awareness and advance greater cooperation for effective, results-oriented health promotion.

15th Wellness University. The fall University was attended by 45 company representatives and was hosted by the American Cancer Society.

Governor's First Wellness Innovation Awards. Governor Donald L. Carcieri presented the 1st Governor's Wellness Innovation Award to six local organizations. To read the press release, click here. To view a picture of the award recipients, click here.

Affiliation. After an 8-year affiliation with the Wellness Councils of America (WELCOA) to achieve our status as the first Well State in the nation, the Board of Directors of the Worksite Wellness Council of RI has unanimously agreed not to enter into a new affiliation licensing agreement proposed by WELCOA. To read the letter of explanation sent to all Council members, click here.

Member Survey. The Council conducted a membership survey to gauge satisfaction and to solicit feedback on the needs of our members.

Members Meeting. The Council held a membership meeting to discuss the disaffiliation with WELCOA and to answer questions. The Council present the 2008 "New Beginnings" document that expressed the new vision, mission and purpose statement of the Council.