Gilbane was recently honored by Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri with a state Wellness Innovation Award for employers with more than 500 employees. Paul Choquette, Gilbane’s Chairman, accepted the award.

The Governor’s Award for Wellness Innovation was given to eight organizations from the award categories:

o Worksites
o Schools
o Healthcare organizations
o City or town governments
o Community and faith-based organizations
o Organized labor
o State agencies
o Media organizations
o Restaurants and Food service establishments

“The programs honored today represent some truly creative and resourceful efforts to encourage healthy lifestyles,” said Governor Carcieri. “We must all work together to promote preventative healthcare and wellness programming for all Rhode Islanders. It is critical for our citizens’ quality of life, and to control the high costs of healthcare.”

Cited as noteworthy in Gilbane’s application was the Gilbane Cares training and outreach efforts, which has expanded from safety to include worksite wellness initiatives, such as daily stretching, walking programs, such as the Providence marathon and BCBS Walking program, Safety Week Health Screening fair, personal health assessments, tobacco cessation programs, and the practice of starting every meeting with a Gilbane Cares moment.

The Governor’s office was so impressed by Gilbane’s commitment, they are encouraging the company to participate in the national Wellness Councils of America (WELCOA) Worksite Wellness Awards next year.