Featured Leader: Maurice Evans

Few people in Portage would know that their City Manager, Maurice Evans, was an elite athlete in college. But they're finding out that this former track star, out of his love of exercise, and belief in it, is helping make the city government a high-performance employer.

Evans asked his benefits manager, Patti Thompson, to author a wellness program that would provide incentives for employees to exercise and eat well. "It was one of the first discussions we had," says Thompson, a 17-year Portage city veteran. Studies over the past year have shown the local government is enjoying the benefits of the creative program that rewards healthy behavior.

He credits Thompson for her work and employees for their acceptance of a program that combats one of the most serious problems in the workforce today -- rising healthcare costs.

Employees are supported in their efforts to get healthier by hitting goals that include receiving training and seeing their doctor. Excellent results include seeing some "high risk" employees reduce their risk of life-threatening illnesses, such as heart disease. Moreover, explains Thompson, "presenteeism" is up. "Healthy employees are known to be better employees," she points out. A veteran of human resources, Thompson studied numerous plans before offering the current one. "We still have some challenges, but we're making progress," she says.

Although he was a self-starter and was self-coached in high school and college, Evans admits it's good to be faced with the goal-setting pressure of the program. Evans took up running on his own in 10th grade and never looked back, earning All-American honors at Lake Superior State College and setting numerous school records, including one which stands today (9:24 in the two-mile). How good was Evans? His 10K times as a collegian, under 31 minutes, would have won most if not all 10K road races in Michigan last year.

Evans' competitive goals today are merely to run the best city government he can. His personal fitness goals are very much like those of his colleagues -- to stay fit, keep the weight off and feel good.

People interested in the City of Portage approach should feel free to contact Thompson at 269-329-4536.