Wellness Councils of America's National Board of Directors
Throughout WELCOA's history, some of the best and brightest minds in business and health have servced on its National Board of Directors. As leaders in their respective fields, these board members have been long time supporters of the benefts of worksite wellness, and have done much to further WELCOA's vision of a healthier America.
GLENDON JOHNSON (Chairman)
Chairman & CEO (Ret.)
John Alden Life Insurance Company
Glendon Johnson, Chairman and CEO (retired) of John Alden Life Insurance Company, was appointed Chairman of the Wellness Councils of America by WELCOA’s Board of Directors in 1995. Mr. Johnson’s extensive, first-hand experiences in the insurance industry, coupled with his personal commitment to worksite wellness, have made him an exemplary figure in the arena of corporate wellness. After graduating from Harvard Law in 1952, Mr. Johnson soon entered the insurance industry as Vice President and General Council of American Life Convention of Washington DC. He has held posts at Securities Management Corporation, American National Insurance Company, as well as John Alden Life Insurance Company—where he retired as Chairman of the Board, President, CEO, and COO.
WILLIAM KIZER, SR.
Chairman
Central States Indemnity
William Kizer, Sr. currently serves as Chairman for Central States Indemnity in Omaha, Nebraska. Kizer founded the Wellness Councils of America in 1987 and has provided visionary leadership over the past 15 years. He is a former Board Member of the National Center for Health Education and former Director for both Southern California Water Company, and Creighton University. Kizer attended the University of Iowa and Creighton University and is the recipient of honorary doctorate degrees in Humanities from both Creighton University and the University of Nebraska. He is author of The Healthy Workplace: A Blueprint for Corporate Action.
BENJAMIN CUTLER
CEO
Fortis Health
Ben Cutler currently serves as CEO for Fortis Health, a major producer of health products that recently acquired John Alden Life Insurance Company. At Fortis Health, Cutler has served as Senior Vice President, CFO, Senior Vice President for Mergers and Acquisitions, and President of Fortis Sales. Cutler received his MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and is currently a member of numerous boards and committees.
ESTHER WILLIAMS
Senior HR BusinessPartner, RHO
Seagate Technology
As Senior HR Business Partner at Seagate Technology, Williams is responsible for benefit development, design, and implementation. She serves as an internal consultant and resource specialist to five human resources business unit organizations. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the American Cancer Society, Hennepin Unit, and for Preferred One—one of the largest preferred provider organizations in the country. Williams is a past member and chair of the Hennepin County Private Industry Council and Employment Assistance Program (1983-1992).
LOUIS W. SULLIVAN, MD
President
Morehouse School of Medicine
Former Secretary US Dept. of Health and Human Services, 1989-1993
Louis Sullivan, MD is a former United States Secretary of Health and Human Services and current President of the Morehouse School of Medicine. Sullivan received his medical degree from Boston University and served as an instructor there from 1963-1964. Sullivan also served as Assistant Professor of Medicine at Seton Hall College of Medicine from 1964-1966. He is a member of numerous medical associations and serves on the Board of Directors for many organizations.
DAVID HUNNICUTT, PhD
President
Wellness Councils of America
Dr. Hunnicutt is the President of the Wellness Councils of America. For the past ten years, he has been a nationally recognized advocate for improved health and wellness in corporate and community settings.
Dr. Hunnicutt has worked and consulted with hundreds of organizations including Fortune 500 companies, hospitals and health care systems, and institutions of higher education, and has made several hundred worksite wellness keynote presentations over the course of the last seven years. His leadership and results-oriented strategy for building workplace wellness programs has inspired the development of over 600 Well Workplaces, and seven Well Cities over the past decade.
AL HERMAN
Health Care Division Partner (ret.)
Arthur Anderson
A former Partner in the Dallas Office of Arthur Anderson, Al Herman is a Certified Public Accountant in Texas. He is former Worldwide Director of Healthcare Industry Services, and is a Fellow of the Healthcare Financial Management Association. Herman co-chaired the Delphi Study Committee, which prepared the study The Future of Healthcare: Physician and Hospital Relationships. An active public speaker, he has spoken to numerous health care groups such as ACHE, Estes Park, HFMA, and the Healthcare Forum.
RICHARD COLLINS, MD
WELCOA Medical Director
Medical Director, Heart Disease Reversal and Prevention Program
Alegent Health
Dr. Collins, also known as “The Cooking Cardiologist,” is nationally recognized as an expert on obesity and weight management and is known for his devotion to creating culinary dishes using only ingredients known to promote good health. He is a Nebraska native, graduating from the University of Nebraska College of Medicine in 1968 and is a fellow in the American College of Chest Physicians and the American College of Cardiology. Dr. Collins was instrumental in the formation of the Alegent Health Heart Institute. He served as their Medical Director from 1993 to 1997 and continues to serve as the Medical Director of the Dr. Ornish Heart Disease Reversal & Prevention Program at Alegent Health.
JIM GREISCH
Managing Partner
KPMG
Jim Greisch, a graduate of Creighton University, currently serves as the Managing Partner of the Nebraska
Business Unit of KPMG. He is a Certified Public Accountant in Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas, and is also a Certified Government Financial Manager. Greisch is an adjunct member of the faculty of a local university, and focuses his efforts there on accounting, auditing, and business development.
DEAN ORNISH, MD
President & Director
Preventive Medicine Research Institute
Dean Ornish, MD is President and Director of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research Institute and is Clinical Professor of Medicine at the School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Ornish was a physician consultant to former President Clinton, and for the past twenty years has directed clinical research demonstrating that comprehensive lifestyle alterations may begin to reverse coronary heart disease without drugs or surgery. He is the author of four best selling books, and his research has been published in The Lancet, the Journal of the American Medical Association, Circulation, and The American Journal of Cardiology.
GREG JAHN
General Counsel
Creighton University
Greg Jahn, a member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys, currently serves as General Counsel for Creighton University in Omaha, NE. Jahn received his JD from Notre Dame Law School, and is a member of the National Lawyers Association. He has published several articles and lectures on health law topics and was in private practice and served as adjunct faculty member before accepting the General Counsel position at Creighton University.
MICHAEL SAMUELSON
Chairman
National Center for Health Promotion
As a Co-Founder of an internationally recognized health organization and a former CEO, Michael understands both the dynamics of running a business and the art of designing effective behavior change products and services. Michael is the former Director of The National Center for Health Promotion, and has authored numerous publications and materials that have been used by over 2,000,000 individuals and translated into many languages. He has appeared on over 200 television and radio stations throughout North America and has been interviewed by publications including Newsweek, USA Today, and The Wall Street Journal. His work in the area of behavior change was featured on the ABC News program, 20/20.
Throughout WELCOA's history, some of the best and brightest minds in business and health have servced on its National Board of Directors. As leaders in their respective fields, these board members have been long time supporters of the benefts of worksite wellness, and have done much to further WELCOA's vision of a healthier America.
GLENDON JOHNSON (Chairman)
Chairman & CEO (Ret.)
John Alden Life Insurance Company
Glendon Johnson, Chairman and CEO (retired) of John Alden Life Insurance Company, was appointed Chairman of the Wellness Councils of America by WELCOA’s Board of Directors in 1995. Mr. Johnson’s extensive, first-hand experiences in the insurance industry, coupled with his personal commitment to worksite wellness, have made him an exemplary figure in the arena of corporate wellness. After graduating from Harvard Law in 1952, Mr. Johnson soon entered the insurance industry as Vice President and General Council of American Life Convention of Washington DC. He has held posts at Securities Management Corporation, American National Insurance Company, as well as John Alden Life Insurance Company—where he retired as Chairman of the Board, President, CEO, and COO.
WILLIAM KIZER, SR.
Chairman
Central States Indemnity
William Kizer, Sr. currently serves as Chairman for Central States Indemnity in Omaha, Nebraska. Kizer founded the Wellness Councils of America in 1987 and has provided visionary leadership over the past 15 years. He is a former Board Member of the National Center for Health Education and former Director for both Southern California Water Company, and Creighton University. Kizer attended the University of Iowa and Creighton University and is the recipient of honorary doctorate degrees in Humanities from both Creighton University and the University of Nebraska. He is author of The Healthy Workplace: A Blueprint for Corporate Action.
BENJAMIN CUTLER
CEO
Fortis Health
Ben Cutler currently serves as CEO for Fortis Health, a major producer of health products that recently acquired John Alden Life Insurance Company. At Fortis Health, Cutler has served as Senior Vice President, CFO, Senior Vice President for Mergers and Acquisitions, and President of Fortis Sales. Cutler received his MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and is currently a member of numerous boards and committees.
ESTHER WILLIAMS
Senior HR BusinessPartner, RHO
Seagate Technology
As Senior HR Business Partner at Seagate Technology, Williams is responsible for benefit development, design, and implementation. She serves as an internal consultant and resource specialist to five human resources business unit organizations. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the American Cancer Society, Hennepin Unit, and for Preferred One—one of the largest preferred provider organizations in the country. Williams is a past member and chair of the Hennepin County Private Industry Council and Employment Assistance Program (1983-1992).
LOUIS W. SULLIVAN, MD
President
Morehouse School of Medicine
Former Secretary US Dept. of Health and Human Services, 1989-1993
Louis Sullivan, MD is a former United States Secretary of Health and Human Services and current President of the Morehouse School of Medicine. Sullivan received his medical degree from Boston University and served as an instructor there from 1963-1964. Sullivan also served as Assistant Professor of Medicine at Seton Hall College of Medicine from 1964-1966. He is a member of numerous medical associations and serves on the Board of Directors for many organizations.
DAVID HUNNICUTT, PhD
President
Wellness Councils of America
Dr. Hunnicutt is the President of the Wellness Councils of America. For the past ten years, he has been a nationally recognized advocate for improved health and wellness in corporate and community settings.
Dr. Hunnicutt has worked and consulted with hundreds of organizations including Fortune 500 companies, hospitals and health care systems, and institutions of higher education, and has made several hundred worksite wellness keynote presentations over the course of the last seven years. His leadership and results-oriented strategy for building workplace wellness programs has inspired the development of over 600 Well Workplaces, and seven Well Cities over the past decade.
AL HERMAN
Health Care Division Partner (ret.)
Arthur Anderson
A former Partner in the Dallas Office of Arthur Anderson, Al Herman is a Certified Public Accountant in Texas. He is former Worldwide Director of Healthcare Industry Services, and is a Fellow of the Healthcare Financial Management Association. Herman co-chaired the Delphi Study Committee, which prepared the study The Future of Healthcare: Physician and Hospital Relationships. An active public speaker, he has spoken to numerous health care groups such as ACHE, Estes Park, HFMA, and the Healthcare Forum.
RICHARD COLLINS, MD
WELCOA Medical Director
Medical Director, Heart Disease Reversal and Prevention Program
Alegent Health
Dr. Collins, also known as “The Cooking Cardiologist,” is nationally recognized as an expert on obesity and weight management and is known for his devotion to creating culinary dishes using only ingredients known to promote good health. He is a Nebraska native, graduating from the University of Nebraska College of Medicine in 1968 and is a fellow in the American College of Chest Physicians and the American College of Cardiology. Dr. Collins was instrumental in the formation of the Alegent Health Heart Institute. He served as their Medical Director from 1993 to 1997 and continues to serve as the Medical Director of the Dr. Ornish Heart Disease Reversal & Prevention Program at Alegent Health.
JIM GREISCH
Managing Partner
KPMG
Jim Greisch, a graduate of Creighton University, currently serves as the Managing Partner of the Nebraska
Business Unit of KPMG. He is a Certified Public Accountant in Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas, and is also a Certified Government Financial Manager. Greisch is an adjunct member of the faculty of a local university, and focuses his efforts there on accounting, auditing, and business development.
DEAN ORNISH, MD
President & Director
Preventive Medicine Research Institute
Dean Ornish, MD is President and Director of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research Institute and is Clinical Professor of Medicine at the School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Ornish was a physician consultant to former President Clinton, and for the past twenty years has directed clinical research demonstrating that comprehensive lifestyle alterations may begin to reverse coronary heart disease without drugs or surgery. He is the author of four best selling books, and his research has been published in The Lancet, the Journal of the American Medical Association, Circulation, and The American Journal of Cardiology.
GREG JAHN
General Counsel
Creighton University
Greg Jahn, a member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys, currently serves as General Counsel for Creighton University in Omaha, NE. Jahn received his JD from Notre Dame Law School, and is a member of the National Lawyers Association. He has published several articles and lectures on health law topics and was in private practice and served as adjunct faculty member before accepting the General Counsel position at Creighton University.
MICHAEL SAMUELSON
Chairman
National Center for Health Promotion
As a Co-Founder of an internationally recognized health organization and a former CEO, Michael understands both the dynamics of running a business and the art of designing effective behavior change products and services. Michael is the former Director of The National Center for Health Promotion, and has authored numerous publications and materials that have been used by over 2,000,000 individuals and translated into many languages. He has appeared on over 200 television and radio stations throughout North America and has been interviewed by publications including Newsweek, USA Today, and The Wall Street Journal. His work in the area of behavior change was featured on the ABC News program, 20/20.
