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‘Great Pride’

Jamestown BPU Wins Healthiest Employer Competition For Seventh Straight Year

Aaron Dunlap, BPU Health and Wellness Team leader, is pictured, center, with the utility’s seventh consecutive first-place award for the Healthiest Employers in Western New York among 12 medium-size companies. Representatives of contest sponsors Independent Health and Wegmans, both of Buffalo, stand beside Dunlap.

The Jamestown Board of Public Utilities placed first among twelve middle-sized companies in the WNY Healthiest Employer contest for the seventh consecutive year.

Buffalo Business First, Springbuk, Independent Health, Wegmans and Walsh Duffield sponsored the competition and recently announced contest winners.

Other companies competing against the BPU in the middle-sized category included: Buffalo Rehab Group, CannonDesign, Caz Recovery, Community Missions of Niagara Frontier, Inc., Endeavor Health Services, Great Lakes Dental Technologies, Gross Polowy LLC, Lumsden McCormick CPA, Trocaire College, Trusted Nurse Staffing and Wendel. Companies in this grouping employ 100-249 employees.

The recognition automatically enters the BPU program in the Healthiest 100 Workplaces in America Competition. The utility has earned a spot among the top 100 companies in the national challenge since 2019.

A point-based program, the BPU’s health and wellness plan provides incentives for employee participation in biometric screenings, health challenges and preventative medical appointments. The program also includes the installation of standing workstations, online training coursework and an exercise room open to employees.

Healthy snacks are provided in utility buildings instead of previous candy sales. Some buildings have a healthy recipe and garden produce exchange corner. Flu vaccinations are furnished on-site during work and after-work hours. Lunch-n-Learns on pertinent health and wellness topics occur during the year and are attended by more than half of the BPU employees.

Past programs offered periodically are Weight Watcher classes, pre-diabetes training, carotid artery screenings and “Wellness Days.” The team looks for additional ways to encourage wellness and health and to keep the choices interesting and new.

Aaron Dunlap, a BPU employee who heads the Health and Wellness Team for the first time this year, was gratified to learn that the BPU program had been recognized for the seventh consecutive year.

“Our team of employees from the various departments at the BPU meets monthly to discuss ideas about future program offerings,” said Dunlap. “We look forward to adding enthusiastic employees to our team in the new year.”

“I am proud that our volunteer employee team continues to meet to determine what subjects should be included in the Health and Wellness Program,” added BPU General Manager David L. Leathers. “They review health statistics from our utility and concentrate on programs that may help improve the health of our employees. One year, for instance,” clarified Leathers, “programs may emphasize diabetes prevention. In another year, the program may focus on identifying, managing, and preventing heart disease.”

Leathers commended the BPU Health and Wellness Team, whose members include: Martha Abers, Dan Currie, Jarrett Devereaux, Dunlap, Crystal Gibson, Todd Hoaglund, Cynthia McFadden, Gloria Miranda, Jake Prince, Shannon Pattyson and Becky Robbins.

“The general manager and our bof Directors dave been instrumental in supporting this employee-developed and volunteer-led program,” stated BPU Human Resources Director Tammy Anderson. “Improving the health and well-being of our employees is a win-win,” continued Anderson. “Our employees benefit by having a wellness support system available to them. The BPU benefits from less employee absence and improved productivity.”

Leathers noted that reduced absences and stabilization of health benefit utility costs are indicators of the program’s success. The importance of good health in the workplace has become the company culture.

“We are grateful to be recognized as one of Western New York’s Healthiest Employers,” said Leathers. “Our entire workforce takes great pride in this important award.”

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