CEOs in New England Unite to Fight Cancer

Cancer affects everyone in some way, ultimately having a major impact on the workplace. The estimated cost of cancer will be more than $263 billion in health care expenses and lost productivity in the United States in 2012. And with an aging population, health care spending is expected to rise 25% by 2030, with chronic diseases such as cancer accounting for 75% of health care costs. The American Cancer Society CEOs Against Cancer initiative aims to improve the health and productivity of workers through cancer prevention education and innovative business practices that promote healthy lifestyle choices.

There are 15 chartered CEOs Against Cancer chapters in the U.S, including a New England chapter that represents more than 30 New England-headquartered Fortune 1000 companies and organizations with 1,000 or more employees. It will work to improve employee health and workplace productivity and to reduce organizational health care costs, and provide guidance on strategic trends and innovative business practices that promote employee health and wellness.

Founded in 2003 in Chicago, the American Cancer Society CEOs Against Cancer initiative has grown to include more than 400 CEOs nationwide who are committed to:

- promoting a healthy corporate culture by regularly sharing frontline ideas that address diverse cancer fighting solutions among their workforces
- ensuring that employees facing cancer have access to accurate, up-to-date information to make informed decisions
- developing a culture of shared responsibility for creating healthy lifestyles among employees and families
- encouraging employees to join the more than 3 million grassroots volunteers nationwide who work tirelessly to support people facing cancer and their families.

Thirty-one New England executives have signed on to CEOs Against Cancer, and they are listed below. Learn more here.

Membership Listing

Honorary Chair

Coach Jim Calhoun, Head Basketball Coach, University of Connecticut 

Vice Chairs

Howard Brodsky, chairman and co-chief executive officer, CCA Global Partners
David Hess, president, Pratt & Whitney
John H. Stewart, president and chief executive officer, Purdue Pharma L.P.  
Josef H. von Rickenbach, chairman and chief executive officer,  PAREXEL International

Members

Michael W. Bonney, president and chief executive officer, Cubist Pharmaceuticals
Michael C. Bourgoine, president and chief executive officer, Associated Grocers of New England
Jim Calhoun, president and chief executive officer, Converse Inc.
Robert A. Cascella, chief executive officer and president, Hologic, Inc.
Roger W. Crandall, president and chief executive officer, MassMutual
H. Andy Crews, president and chief executive officer, AutoFair
Tim Curran, president, Alstom Power Inc.
Robert M. Dickey, president, Randstad Technologies
Robert A. DiMuccio, chairman, president and chief executive officer, Amica Insurance
Stephen J. Farrell, chief executive officer, UnitedHealthcare
James C. Foster, chairman, president, and chief executive officer, Charles River Laboratories
Donald J. Gudaitis, chief executive officer, American Cancer Society, New England Division
James Hoyes, president, EMD Serono, Inc.
Kevin J. Kelleher, president and chief executive officer, Cartus Corporation
Tom King, executive director and president, National Grid US, National Grid
Jeffrey A. Leerink, chairman and chief executive officer, Leerink Swann  
Rene Lerer, MD, chairman and chief executive officer, Magellan Health Services, Inc.
John Lundgren, president and chief executive officer, Stanley Black & Decker
Murray Martin, chairman, president, and chief executive officer, Pitney Bowes, Inc.
Michael Norris, president, North America, PartyLite
Amanda Grappone Osmer, owner and chief operating officer, Grappone Automotive Group 
Jaymin B. Patel,president and chief executive officer, GTECH Corporation
Joseph H. Petrowski, chief executive officer, Cumberland/Gulf Group, The Cumberland Gulf Group of Companies
Ronald L. Sargent, chairman and chief executive officer, Staples
Eric H. Schultz, president and chief executive officer, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
David Seligman, chief executive officer, Best Doctors
Laura Sen, president and chief executive officer, BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc.
Robert K. Sheridan, president and chief executive officer, SBLI
James P. Torgerson, president and chief executive officer, UIL Holdings Corporation
Glen J. Villano, chief executive officer, Merchants Leasing
Robert Wolf, chairman, Americas & president, UBS Investment Bank, UB
 

* as of May 1, 2012