Chattanooga, Tennessee
Civic Revitalization
In the midst of one of the nation’s most aggressive civic revitalization campaigns, the City of Chattanooga, TN is experiencing a period of unrivaled growth and prosperity. This new vibrancy is evident in the growing population of construction equipment making room for the new businesses, neighborhoods, parks, and schools that hundreds of millions of dollars in community investment has brought to Chattanooga.
Bricks and Mortar
When community leaders sat down almost two decades ago to sketch out the plans to bring Chattanooga into the 21st Century, they understood that it would take more than just bricks and mortar to get the job done. It would also include the challenge of improving the overall health and well-being of its citizens. In 1992, Chattanooga business leaders accepted this challenge and begin laying the foundation for Well City USA. Just five years later, the scaffolding was removed and a Well City Chattanooga became part of the skyline.
“People here understood that there was more to prosperity than buildings and money,” says Cathy Etherton, former Executive Director of the Wellness Council of Chattanooga. “With everything going on in Chattanooga, Well City USA was a great fit for us and it wasn’t hard to sell the idea.”
A Driving Force
A major driving force behind Chattanooga’s Well City USA initiative was the Wellness Council of Tennessee’s Board of Directors, many of whom were strong leaders within the community. “We had a pretty active board,” explains Etherton. “They were willing to go out and talk with their counterparts and say, ‘look, this stuff works. Maybe you won’t see it in your bottom line this year, but you will in five years.’ It was really their leadership that helped us.”
Building Momentum
Because a Well City USA initiative takes a number of years to come to fruition, one of the major challenges faced by any community is keeping the momentum high. In Chattanooga, it was no different. To help keep the momentum growing and to continually strengthen their efforts, the Wellness Council of Tennessee hosted and sponsored a number of continuing education forums and community-wide events.
“Our forums were designed to help the participating companies focus and maximize their health promotion initiatives by helping practitioners develop a more systematic approach to their programs,” explained Etherton. “And, sponsoring a number of walks and runs created a friendly, competitive environment that pushed the initiative along.”
Powerful Results
The Tennessee Valley Authority, America’s largest public power company—providing power to nearly eight million people throughout the Tennessee Valley—and a leading company in the Chattanooga Well City USA effort, has been able to demonstrate some powerful results from its wellness program.
“We have had so many success stories at TVA,” says Glenda Sajwaj, Manager of the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Wellness program. “In terms of hard numbers, we’ve tracked the cost avoidance for our program users and non-users and we’re seeing the difference—the medical claims costs for our program participants are visibly lower.”
“But one of the most rewarding things for us,” continues Sajwaj, “is our weight management program, ‘Winning Way.’ We’re seeing people lose weight and coming off blood pressure medications and even diabetes medications as a result of the program.”
The results experienced from companies like TVA aren’t just being felt within their own walls—the results are also reflected in the community at large. “Well City has really been like a ripple in the ocean for us in Chattanooga,” tells Sajwaj, “every effort that has been made takes us all one step further—I think that’s what Well City USA did for us—it’s raised awareness.”
“A lot of employers got to thinking about it and have become Well Workplaces. Because of this, it’s become a lot easier to continue the momentum. All of a sudden, from all different directions, we’re getting support for walkways and bicycle paths and the like. That’s what we’re experiencing in Chattanooga right now and it’s been so positive.”
The City of the Future
The foresight, persistence, and heavy lifting that has played an integral role in the success of Chattanooga’s Well City USA project and its overall revitalization doesn’t look as if it’s coming to a close any time soon. In fact, the concept of wellness has become such a core value throughout the Chattanooga business community that it’s become practically a requirement for businesses looking to make their home there. As Chattanooga continues to grow and prosper in the new century, it’s certain that other communities will look to them as a model for planning the future of their own communities.
Well City USA Award Stat Sheet
1. City/Project: Chattanooga Well City
2. Month & Year Designated: December, 1997
3. Population:
Current: 425,000
4. Top 5 Industries within Community:
1. Services
2. Retail Trade
3. Manufacturing
4. Finance, Insurance, Real Estate
5. Wholesale Trade
5. Number of Well Workplaces Participating: Total: 21
6. Number of Employees within Well City Project: 28,000
Civic Revitalization
In the midst of one of the nation’s most aggressive civic revitalization campaigns, the City of Chattanooga, TN is experiencing a period of unrivaled growth and prosperity. This new vibrancy is evident in the growing population of construction equipment making room for the new businesses, neighborhoods, parks, and schools that hundreds of millions of dollars in community investment has brought to Chattanooga.
Bricks and Mortar
When community leaders sat down almost two decades ago to sketch out the plans to bring Chattanooga into the 21st Century, they understood that it would take more than just bricks and mortar to get the job done. It would also include the challenge of improving the overall health and well-being of its citizens. In 1992, Chattanooga business leaders accepted this challenge and begin laying the foundation for Well City USA. Just five years later, the scaffolding was removed and a Well City Chattanooga became part of the skyline.
“People here understood that there was more to prosperity than buildings and money,” says Cathy Etherton, former Executive Director of the Wellness Council of Chattanooga. “With everything going on in Chattanooga, Well City USA was a great fit for us and it wasn’t hard to sell the idea.”
A Driving Force
A major driving force behind Chattanooga’s Well City USA initiative was the Wellness Council of Tennessee’s Board of Directors, many of whom were strong leaders within the community. “We had a pretty active board,” explains Etherton. “They were willing to go out and talk with their counterparts and say, ‘look, this stuff works. Maybe you won’t see it in your bottom line this year, but you will in five years.’ It was really their leadership that helped us.”
Building Momentum
Because a Well City USA initiative takes a number of years to come to fruition, one of the major challenges faced by any community is keeping the momentum high. In Chattanooga, it was no different. To help keep the momentum growing and to continually strengthen their efforts, the Wellness Council of Tennessee hosted and sponsored a number of continuing education forums and community-wide events.
“Our forums were designed to help the participating companies focus and maximize their health promotion initiatives by helping practitioners develop a more systematic approach to their programs,” explained Etherton. “And, sponsoring a number of walks and runs created a friendly, competitive environment that pushed the initiative along.”
Powerful Results
The Tennessee Valley Authority, America’s largest public power company—providing power to nearly eight million people throughout the Tennessee Valley—and a leading company in the Chattanooga Well City USA effort, has been able to demonstrate some powerful results from its wellness program.
“We have had so many success stories at TVA,” says Glenda Sajwaj, Manager of the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Wellness program. “In terms of hard numbers, we’ve tracked the cost avoidance for our program users and non-users and we’re seeing the difference—the medical claims costs for our program participants are visibly lower.”
“But one of the most rewarding things for us,” continues Sajwaj, “is our weight management program, ‘Winning Way.’ We’re seeing people lose weight and coming off blood pressure medications and even diabetes medications as a result of the program.”
The results experienced from companies like TVA aren’t just being felt within their own walls—the results are also reflected in the community at large. “Well City has really been like a ripple in the ocean for us in Chattanooga,” tells Sajwaj, “every effort that has been made takes us all one step further—I think that’s what Well City USA did for us—it’s raised awareness.”
“A lot of employers got to thinking about it and have become Well Workplaces. Because of this, it’s become a lot easier to continue the momentum. All of a sudden, from all different directions, we’re getting support for walkways and bicycle paths and the like. That’s what we’re experiencing in Chattanooga right now and it’s been so positive.”
The City of the Future
The foresight, persistence, and heavy lifting that has played an integral role in the success of Chattanooga’s Well City USA project and its overall revitalization doesn’t look as if it’s coming to a close any time soon. In fact, the concept of wellness has become such a core value throughout the Chattanooga business community that it’s become practically a requirement for businesses looking to make their home there. As Chattanooga continues to grow and prosper in the new century, it’s certain that other communities will look to them as a model for planning the future of their own communities.
Well City USA Award Stat Sheet
1. City/Project: Chattanooga Well City
2. Month & Year Designated: December, 1997
3. Population:
4. Top 5 Industries within Community:
1. Services
2. Retail Trade
3. Manufacturing
4. Finance, Insurance, Real Estate
5. Wholesale Trade
5. Number of Well Workplaces Participating: Total: 21
6. Number of Employees within Well City Project: 28,000
