Michigan Wellness Council Appoints its First Board of Directors

The Michigan Wellness Council (MWC), formerly the Oakland County Wellness Coalition, is pleased to announce the appointment of its first board of directors.

The new board consists of 13 members including its four-member executive board: Chairman Scott Foster, President, Wellco; Vice Chair Michele Hodges, President, Troy Chamber of Commerce; Secretary Jamie Spriet, Vice President, Business Development, HAP; and Treasurer Fred Zimmer, Partner, Business Development Group.

“The MWC board is a reflection of the leadership and collaboration needed for effective health cost control,” said Foster. “Each of these outstanding community leaders will bring significant experience with key growth and development issues central to our quality of life in Michigan.”

Other directors include: Ken Rogers, Executive Director, Automation Alley; Jennifer Kluge, President and CEO, Michigan Food and Beverage Association and the Michigan Business and Professional Association; Christi Demitz, Public Health Consultant, Michigan Department of Community Health; Earlexia Norwood, MD, Physician-in-Charge, Henry Ford Medical Center-Troy; Debra Brandt, Senior Benefit Manager, Global Health & Wellness, Whirlpool Corporation; Susan Bailey, Program Manager-Health and Wellness, DTE Energy; Kent Sharkey, President and CEO, T.E.A.M. Human Capital Solutions; Tom Spring, Program Manager, myOptimal Health, Beaumont Health System; and Mary Jo Lefevre, Account Executive, AGIS.

Since the MWC is the pioneer of wellness innovation for the employers it serves, the board was carefully selected to demonstrate the collaborative solutions available to Michigan businesses and provided with staggered terms to continue momentum and growth. The board consists of experts in business, medicine, wellness, health care administration, media and government.

“We've noticed businesses asking for better health information, not just more,” said Foster. “The complexity of reform and rapid-fire pace of insurance and wellness changes have created a perfect storm of opportunity for businesses that keep up and leverage the latest strategies. Employers want to know what is proven to make a difference in their bottom line.”

The MWC, a statewide spin-off of the Troy Chamber’s Oakland County Wellness Coalition, was formed on November 1, 2005. Its mission is to inspire the successful integration of wellness best practices in the workplace through access to quality resources and forums.

The MWC will host its inaugural event this fall on Wednesday, November 9 at Compuware Corporate Headquarters in Detroit, featuring Dee Edington, Ph.D.

For more information about the Michigan Wellness Council, visit www.michiganwellnesscouncil.org. To register for the fall event, visit www.troychamber.com/cal.

Contact:
Laura Robinson
Oakland County Wellness Coalition
4555 Investment Drive, Suite 300
Troy, MI 48098
248.549.4247