Longfellow Benefits Sponsors Worksite Wellness Council of Massachusetts

WATERTOWN, MA--(Marketwire - Jun 5, 2012) - Longfellow Benefits and the Worksite Wellness Council of Massachusetts (WWCMA) today announced Longfellow's sponsorship of the council, the first nonprofit in the commonwealth representing health promotion professionals and business leaders dedicated to promoting worksite wellness programs across the state.

"As advisors, we believe worksite wellness is increasingly essential to managing healthcare costs and productivity, which is why we've invested so heavily in our own wellness program at Longfellow," said Joe Gray, Managing Principal. "We fully support WWCMA's mission of making worksite wellness programs more accessible to Massachusetts employers and enhancing awareness of this important subject in our business community through education and leadership."

Longfellow's sponsorship will help WWCMA carry out its mission to:

• raise awareness about key issues in wellness and health promotion
• represent health promotion professionals, business leaders and other stakeholders as a common voice
• facilitate quality professional development activities and networking
• create a community and peer group of worksite health promotion professionals

"We are very excited about Longfellow's sponsorship, which demonstrates their commitment to the important role businesses can play in health promotion and reducing healthcare costs through prevention," said Mari Ryan, Board Chair of WWCMA.

Kristie Howard, Vice President of Client Services at Longfellow and a Certified Worksite Wellness Program Consultant (CWWPC), is a co-founder of WWCMA and Vice Chair of the board of directors. "Our goal is to bring national best practices and resources to the Massachusetts marketplace and provide a forum for Massachusetts wellness professionals and employers to interact and share more freely," she said.

Howard works with clients to design and manage competitive and cost-effective benefit programs that are aligned with corporate philosophy and objectives. She is extremely active in local business and philanthropic communities, including leadership positions with the WWCMA and the Junior League of Boston. Howard is an expert in worksite wellness, and her articles have been published in Boston Business Journal, Business and Legal Reports (BLR), Employee Benefit News, Employee Benefit Advisor, Risk & Insurance Magazine, and Women's Business Boston. She can be reached at khoward@lf-ben.com.

About Longfellow Benefits
Serving organizations in New England and nationally, Longfellow Benefits provides employee benefits, retirement plans and executive benefits. The firm's technical depth, breadth of expertise, infrastructure, nimbleness, and service delivery help employers optimize each benefits dollar. Longfellow Benefits has been named to Boston Business Journal's Best Places to Work seven years in a row. For more information, visit www.lf-ben.com or call 617-351-6000.

About the Worksite Wellness Council of Massachusetts
The Worksite Wellness Council of Massachusetts is a 501C(3) organization of Massachusetts health promotion professionals and business leaders dedicated to promoting healthier lifestyles for all employees of Massachusetts through health promotion activities at the worksite. Organized in 2010, the Council brings together Massachusetts employers and health promotion professionals interested in combating the ever-increasing cost of health care benefits by helping their employees, their families and their communities achieve and maintain a state of good health. To learn more about the Worksite Wellness Council of Massachusetts, visit the website (www.wwcma.org) and connect with us on Twitter (@WorkWellMA).