With the spiraling costs of health care in southeastern Wisconsin, one of the best strategies for holding down those costs is to keep employees fit and healthy.
And who better to set the example for health and wellness than the leaders of their respective organizations? With that in mind, Small Business Times partnered with the Wisconsin Athletic Club and Medical Associates Health Centers to put business executives to the test in the Fittest Execs competition.
Now in its second year, the competition has grown from 80 C-level executives who took part in the test last year to 110 executives this time around. Contestants were asked to provide information about their personal exercise routines and the impact of fitness on their lives and their performance at work.
The goal of the program is to identify those executives who are physically fit and to encourage others to follow their lead.
"We feel that it's imperative with rising health costs, that CEOs and company leaders get involved, and they are great examples for their employees," said Whitney ONeill, personal trainer at the Wisconsin Athletic Club.
"All the studies show that a healthy workforce is a productive workforce," said Tyler Roberts, wellness coordinator for Medical Associates Health Centers. "And it starts at the top. When company leaders make wellness a priority in their own lives, people notice it and it tends to spread among the employees."
Absenteeism, productivity, and health care costs are all closely related to the health of employees, Roberts said.
"To the extent that business leaders can impact health in a positive way, I think that's a good thing," he said.
Contestants performed a series of physical tests at the Wisconsin Athletic Club, measuring resting heart rate, a three-minute step test, a sit-and-reach test to measure flexibility, a bench press to measure strength, a grip test and a body fat analysis. Each participant also was weighed, measured and had their blood analyzed for cholesterol and blood sugars at Medical Associates Health Centers. Results of the assessments were scored by category in developing a final overall score.
To qualify, participants had to be at the C-Level (CEO, CFO, COO or CIO) of their organizations, or serve as president/vice president, mayor/city manager/city council member or be retired from one of the above positions.
The winners of the Fittest Execs competition will be announced at a reception at the fourth annual BizTech Expo on May 1. Award categories include fittest men under age 50, fittest men over 50, as well separate categories for women over and under 50. Participants from last year also will be recognized in the most improved category.
Click here for the list of Fittest Exec participants and their profiles.
