Steve LaCagnin and Steve Martin Earn Their Spurs

WELCOA’s Organizational Founder and Board Chairman Transfer the Reins of Leadership To A New Generation.

After 25 years of hands-on leadership, WELCOA Founder, William Kizer, and long-time Board Chairman, Glendon Johnson, have handed the reins of leadership to incoming Chairman, Steve LaCagnin, and incoming Vice Chairman, Steve Martin.

Steve LaCagnin is the Administrator of Jackson Kelly, a West Virginia-based law firm. Steve Martin is the President and CEO of BlueCross BlueShield of Nebraska.

At a ceremony taking place at our recent national Board of Directors meeting, Glendon Johnson awarded LaCagnin and Martin their spurs.

“When I was kid growing up on a ranch in Utah, I begged my mother for a pair of spurs. My mother gently reminded me that you don’t just get a pair of spurs handed to you–you have to earn them,” Johnson remarked in the presentation. “For the next year, I worked my fingers to the bone to get those spurs. And when I got em’, they meant something.”

“I’m here tonight to tell you that these two menhave earned their spurs. Steve LaCagnin is the Chair of a Well Region initiative in Morgantown, a member of the local Board of Directors for the Wellness Council of West Virginia, a Gold Well Workplace Award winner and has represented WELCOA with groups like the CDC,” said Johnson.

“Along with Steve LaCagnin, Steve Martin is one of the leading CEO advocates of workplace wellness in the U.S. In fact, Steve Martin has built a best-in-class wellness program for his organization–with participation rates approximating 90% percent. He is also taking wellness to his clients. This is a bold and aggressive move to advance health in Nebraska.”

“Bill and I couldn’t have asked for better people to step up and assume the reins than Steve LaCagnin and Steve Martin,” concluded Johnson.

From my perspective, WELCOA is very fortunate. With Steve LaCagnin and Steve Martin assuming the top two leadership positions of the Board of Directors at WELCOA, the organization is poised to move to the next level. Both men have offered up new ideas and are highly supportive of the vision already in place.

Wasting no time, the organization has already put forth a bold strategic plan to further solidify WELCOA’s position as one of the premier entities for workplace wellness in the U.S.

Like Glendon Johnson, Bill Kizer is excited about WELCOA’s new officers. “When looking for the next generation of WELCOA Board Leadership, it was extremely important to Glendon and me that we find two people who not only have excellent leadership ability, but they musthave the desire towalk the talk,” said Kizer.

Kizer continued, “I am convinced that these two men have the qualities–both in terms of heart and backbone–to make sure that WELCOA is doing good things for years to come.”

To ease the transitional process, Both Glendon Johnson and Bill Kizer were awarded Director Emeritus Status. Both will remain a part of the Board and will take part in the Executive Committee leadership function.

As WELCOA’s President and a fellow BoardMember, I welcome the opportunityto work side-by-side with both Steve LaCagnin and Steve Martin. I am convinced that we now have the very best of both worlds–a new generation of strong leaders and a committed pair of Directors with Emeritus status.

The best is definitely yet to come.

To view more photographs of the installation ceremony, simply visit this link.

Yours in good health,

Dr. David Hunnicutt

WELCOA’s Board of Directors
Chairman, Steve Lacagnin, Jackson Kelly
Vice Chairman, Steve Martin, BlueCross BlueShield of Nebraska
Treasurer, Al Herman, Arthur Anderson (ret.)
Secretary, Bill Kizer, CSI
President, Dr. David Hunnicutt, WELCOA
Emeritus, Glendon Johnson, (John Alden, ret.)

Dr. Mark Ott, Intermountain Healthcare
Dr. Richard Collins, South Denver Heart Institute
Dr. David Gobble, Fisher Institute for Wellness and Gerontology, Ball State University

Copyright 2006, David Hunnicutt.com

Information may not be reproduced or republished, in part or in whole, without express written permission.

The views and perspectives presented by Dr. Hunnicutt do not necessarily represent those of WELCOA.