About
WELCOA
The Wellness Council of America (WELCOA) was established as a national not-for-profit organization in the mid 1980s through the efforts of a number of forward-thinking business and health leaders. Drawing on the vision originally set forth by William Kizer, Sr., Chairman Emeritus of Central States Indemnity, and WELCOA founding Directors that included Dr. Louis Sullivan, former Secretary of Health and Human Services, and Warren Buffet, Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, WELCOA has helped influence the face of workplace wellness in the U.S.
Today, WELCOA has become one of the most respected resources for workplace wellness in America. With a membership in excess of 3,200 organizations, WELCOA is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of all working Americans. Located in America’s heartland, WELCOA makes its national headquarters in one of America’s healthiest business communities Omaha, Nebraska.
Our Beliefs
Predicated on improving the health and well-being of working Americans throughout the United States, WELCOA adheres to a steadfast set of beliefs. Indeed, we believe:
- Healthcare costs are an issue of significant concern.
- A healthy workforce is essential to America’s continued growth and prosperity.
- Much of the illness in the U.S. is directly preventable.
- The workplace is an ideal setting to address health and well-being.
- That workplace wellness programs can transform corporate culture and change lives.
Our Mission
As one of the nation’s premier resources for workplace wellness, our mission is to serve business leaders, workplace wellness practitioners, public health professionals and consultants of all kinds by:
- Promoting corporate membership;
- Producing leading-edge worksite wellness publications and health information;
- Conducting trainings that help worksite wellness practitioners create and sustain results-oriented wellness programs;
- Creating resources that promote healthier lifestyles for all working Americans.
WELCOM
In 1982, William M. Kizer and a group of business leaders in Omaha, Nebraska created the non-profit organization known as WELCOM. The purpose of the Council was to promote healthy lifestyle choices in the worksite in hopes that preventing disease would be more cost-effective than curing disease. The Omaha Council has served as a model for the formation of Wellness Councils across the country.
WELCOM Mission:
“To lead employers to create a workplace culture of health and wellness.”
WELCOM vision:
“To assist Omaha and other communities in the Midlands to become “healthy communities” by:
- Educating companies on the well workplace standards
- Recognizing companies for achievement of excellence in health promotion at the worksite
- Consulting with companies and communities to develop and improve their worksite wellness programs
