Joni Troester, interim assistant vice president of benefits, health, and productivity for the University of Iowa, has been chosen as the recipient of the 2015 Heart of HERO Award.
Based in Edina, Minnesota, HERO (the Health Enhancement Research Organization) is a non-profit corporation dedicated to the creation and dissemination of employee health management research, education, policy, strategy, and leadership.
In her role within UI Human Resources, Troester led the university’s initial wellness program pilot in 1999. Building on early success, and her commitment to collaboration, she led the launch of the integrated liveWELL program brand, which has been recognized for its positive impact with the Healthy Iowa award, and by being named a Fit-Friendly Company by the American Heart Association. High levels of participation and engagement (75 percent) with a modest incentive structure, and zero percent premium increases for the last three years, further demonstrate the success of liveWELL.
Troester also led campus discussions that resulted in a comprehensive tobacco-free campus, and continues to serve as a member of the Blue Zones Community Project advisory board for Iowa City, developing and implementing strategies to achieve designation as a Blue Zone community.