Vought Introduces Wellness Program.

World-Renowned Cooper Aerobics Center to Help Employees Design the Program

DALLAS -- Vought Aircraft Industries, Inc. is launching an industry-leading wellness program aimed at reducing health risk factors for employees and their families by more than 50 percent within the next three years. LiveWell@Vought will provide Vought employees with the resources to make substantial and permanent lifestyle improvements.

"Our wellness program is about employees achieving a healthy balance - in nutrition, exercise, home life and work," said Vice President of Human Resources Tom Stubbins. "We want to make it possible by giving them the time, resources and tools to make it happen."

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the United States has experienced an increase in obesity and adult diabetes over the last 14 years. In a recent analysis, Stubbins and the executive team learned that Vought employees had more instances of diabetes, hypertension, asthma and coronary heart disease when compared to national averages. Their belief that Vought employees are the company's greatest resource and a key to success were the key drivers in the decision to implement the program.

"As a society, we need to start reversing these trends in health care. It makes sense from both a personal and professional standpoint. Personally we can't afford to lead unhealthy lifestyles, and companies benefit from healthier employees," Stubbins adds.

The Vought team also recognizes that in order for employees to be successful in the program, they need support away from work as well. They enlisted the help of Cooper Aerobics Center's consulting division, Cooper Ventures, to develop a program that would engage employees, their spouses and children over the age of 18 in leading a more balanced life at work and home. A Cooper Ventures staff person is located at Vought headquarters to coordinate the wellness program for the company's different sites.

One key takeaway Vought already is acting upon: an employee program is only as successful as the employees who participate in it. "The goal is not for this to be a corporate program," said "father of aerobics" Dr. Kenneth Cooper, founder, chairman and CEO of Cooper Aerobics Center, which practices preventive medicine and provides research-based fitness programs and education. "Programs like these work only if employees take ownership of them and believe in them. The team at Vought understands this and has taken it to heart."

That ownership started in the beginning, with employees naming the program through an internal poll. Now, wellness committees are forming at each Vought location, made up of volunteers. The committees are diverse groups, not just individuals who are physically active and already pursuing a healthy lifestyle. Led by wellness professionals from Cooper Ventures, each committee will tailor the program best suited for the site's employees' needs.

To kick-off the program, Vought sites are hosting health fairs this month for active employees and their immediate families. Participants have the opportunity to receive a free, confidential, complete health screening. The information from the screening provides a baseline for targeting personal improvements. Every employee or spouse who participates will receive a $25 gift card.

Vought's Chief Executive Officer Elmer Doty doesn't want employees to think of LiveWell@Vought as just another exercise program. Instead, he wants to help employees make a real and immediate impact on their health - especially those who battle ongoing conditions like diabetes and hypertension. So Vought also is adding a condition management component to the program at every site. Healthcare consultants will work directly with and coach employees who are battling chronic illnesses and conditions to provide 24-hour support, helping them to fully understand and manage their health conditions. This also is free to Vought employees and their families.

"We recognize that we have some high aspirations," said Doty. "But we believe that people will live up to the expectations set for them. There is no higher priority than your health and well-being. I will believe we've been successful when I see our employees leaving work healthier than when they got here."

Vought Aircraft Industries, Inc. (www.voughtaircraft.com) is one of the world's largest independent suppliers of aerostructures. Headquartered in Dallas, the company designs and manufactures major airframe structures such as wings, fuselage subassemblies, empennages, nacelles and other components for prime manufacturers of aircraft. Vought has annual sales of approximately $1.6 billion and about 5,900 employees in nine U.S. locations.

Cooper Ventures (www.cooperventures.net) is one of nine divisions of the world-renowned Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas. Continuing more than 25 years of corporate assistance experience, Cooper Ventures manages worksite wellness programs and provides expertise on staffing, managing, and marketing residential and commercial health and fitness facilities. Cooper Ventures clients include Mary Kay Cosmetics, Chick-fil-A, National Instruments, Georgia Power (a Southern Company), Cadbury Schweppes and First United Bank. Media contact: Amy George, Director of Public Relations, Cooper Aerobics Center, 972-560-3236.