Speakers 2009: Tonya Vyhlidal, MEd, CHPD
As Wellness, Safety, and Life Enhancement Director for Lincoln Industries, Tonya Vyhlidal is responsible for the occupational health, safety, and health promotion programs for a workforce of nearly 500. Under Tonya’s leadership, Lincoln Industries wellness program has been a two time recipient of the WELCOA platinum award (2003,2006), a featured company in the 2007 leading by example via the Partnership for Prevention magazine, selected as one of nine companies by the Centers for Disease Control for their SWAT project (2005,2007), was the 2007 recipient of the Innovation in Prevention Award from the U.S. Department of Health, and was a 2008 C. Everett Koop National Health Award Winner. This year Lincoln Industries Wellness made national media when CNN featured Lincoln Industries wellness on “Fit Nation”, the Wall Street Journal included Lincoln Industries Wellness in a best practices article and the Health Promotion Practitioner magazine featured Lincoln Industries Wellness program in their December issue.
The program has a 5 to 1 return on investment, resulted in a savings of more than $2.1 million in 2005 alone and reduced the company’s lifestyle-associated health insurance claims by over 10% and supported the company in maintaining a cost per person insurance premium at 50% below the U.S. average for company size, industry, and region.
Tonya is the current WorkWell Chair; CDC Worksite Obesity Prevention and Control panel, WELCOA Medical Advisory Council, Lincoln in Motion Board, recognized by Cambridge Who’s Who top 50 business professionals for 2008, Pfizer non-product speaker, and was recognized as one of Lincoln, Nebraska’s “40 under 40” in 2006 by the city’s Business Journal. In her free time Tonya enjoys spending time with her family, enjoys outdoor adventures such as mountain climbing and adventure racing, teaches group fitness classes, and loves to read.