On October 27, 115 Vermont employers received recognition for their employee wellness programs from the Vermont Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. The awards were presented by Council Chair Janet Franz, Vermont Governor Phil Scott, state Commissioner of Labor Kendal Smith and Deputy Health Commissioner Julie Arel.
The Vermont Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports created the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Worksite Wellness more than 30 years ago to create a standard of excellence for worksite wellness initiatives. Employers use the award application as a tool to benchmark their accomplishments and determine where improvements can be made. The annual honor provides an opportunity for the governor to thank businesses and organizations for their efforts to support the health of Vermonters and make Vermont a great place to live and work.
Many Vermont employers provide workers with opportunities for physical activity during the workday, increased access to healthy food, tobacco use cessation tools, financial and legal counseling services, onsite physical therapy, health screenings, vaccination clinics, and social events for employees and their families.
Deputy Health Commissioner Julie Arel addresses the gathered crowd
Schools and colleges, including Browns River Middle School, Essex Westford School District, Middlebury College, St. Michael’s College, and the University of Vermont received awards for initiatives supporting the physical and emotional wellbeing of their staff and faculty and fostering a wellness culture throughout their campuses. For example, UVM employees are invited to participate in reduced-cost group exercise classes and on-site chiropractic care, free individualized health coaching and wellness education courses, and social events that encourage employees to connect with their coworkers.
Manufacturers and retailers, including King Arthur Flour, Lake Champlain Chocolates, Vermont Precision Tools, Vermont Country Store, and food co-ops across the state received awards for their programs that support employees’ social, emotional, physical, financial, and environmental wellbeing. For example, City Market Onion River Co-op employees are treated to store and meal discounts and free beverages and invited to participate in a “Wellness Adventure,” filling out scorecards with healthy lifestyle activities to earn points that can be redeemed for gift cards.
Health care organizations including Howard Center, Copley Hospital, Grace Cottage Family Health, North Country Hospital, and University of Vermont Health received awards for employee wellness activities including free health coaching, group fitness, and nutrition education. For example, Grace Cottage employees can join onsite exercise classes, caregiver support groups, and healthy behavior challenges, get health screenings and risk assessments, and receive nutritious recipe makeovers.
A special award was presented to Bethany Volino, the employee health and wellbeing mana
ger for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont, for the 2026 Outstanding Contributor to Worksite Wellness. This award recognizes Volino’s significant work to improve the wellness climate and secure leadership commitment throughout the organization. An honorable mention went to Reid Wobby, founder of the Workplace Compliance and Wellness Vermont Employee Wellness Partnership, which aims to reduce overdoses and suicides among Vermont’s construction industry employees, a high-risk population.
Bethany Volino
Here is the full list of employers receiving the 2026 Vermont Governor’s Award for Excellence in Worksite Wellness:
BRONZE
802 Cars
Chittenden Solid Waste District
Morristown Centennial Library
Town of Colchester
University of Vermont Foundation
Vermont Public
Governor’s council members Bryan Rivard, Janet Franz, Jennifer Grant and Rachel Desautels at the awards ceremony with Governor Scott
SILVER
Brattleboro Food Co-op
Brattleboro Retreat
Families First of Southern Vermont
Gifford Health Care, Inc.
Health Care & Rehabilitation Services of Southeastern Vermont
King Arthur Baking Company
Lund
Middlebury College
Mt. Ascutney Hospital & Health Center
National Life Group
Northwestern Medical Center
Passumpsic Bank
S.D. Ireland Companies
St. Michael’s College
Stone Environmental, Inc.
Vermont Gas Systems
Vermont Precision Tools
Washington County Mental Health Services, Inc.
Washington Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Woodstock Farmers Market
World Learning, Inc.
Vermont Mutual Insurance Company accepting the 2026 award for Excellence in Worksite Wellness
GOLD
ARIS Solutions Inc.
A.N. Deringer
Age Well
ASIC North, Inc.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont
Browns River Middle School
Butternut Mountain Farm
Capstone Community Action, Inc.
Cathedral Square
Central Vermont Council on Aging
Champlain College
Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity
Chroma Technology Corp.
City Market Onion River Co-op
City of Burlington, VT
Clara Martin Center
Community Care Network
Community National Bank
Co-operative Insurance
Copley Hospital
Counseling Service of Addison County, Inc.
DEW Construction
EastRise Federal Credit Union
Engelberth Construction, Inc.
Engineers Construction, Inc.
Essex Westford School District
Fluency
Founders Memorial School
GlobalFoundries
Grace Cottage Family Health & Hospital
Green Mountain Support Services
Hallam-ICS
Hartland Elementary School
Heritage Aviation
Howard Center
Hunger Mountain Coop
Injury & Health Management Solutions
Jay Peak Resort
Jericho Elementary School
Lake Champlain Chocolates
Lamoille County Mental Health Services
Local Motion
Manufacturing Solutions Inc
Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District
NEW CHAPTER, INC.
North Star Health
NorthCountry Federal Credit Union
Northeast Kingdom Human Services
Northern Counties Health Care
Northfield Savings Bank
Northwestern Counseling & Support Services, Inc.
Norwich University
PC Construction
ReArch Company, Inc
Red Hen Baking Company
Revision Military
Simmonds Precision Products, Inc.
Special Olympics Vermont
Springfield Hospital, Inc.
St. Johnsbury School
State of Vermont
The Burton Corporation
The EDGE
The Heritage Automotive Group
The Richards Group – IMA
The Vermont Country Store
The Wellness Center (North Country Hospital)
Town of Brattleboro
United Counseling Service
University of Vermont
University of Vermont Health
Upper Valley Services
VEIC
Vermont Electric Cooperative
Vermont Electric Power Company
Vermont Federal Credit Union
Vermont Information Processing
Vermont Law and Graduate School
Vermont League of Cities and Towns
Vermont Mutual Insurance Company
Vermont School Boards Insurance Trust
Vermont Smoke & Cure
Vermont State Housing Authority
Vernon Advent Christian Homes
VHV Company
VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region
Woodstock Inn & Resort
Community Care Network accepting the 2026 award for Excellence in Worksite Wellness
View and download photos from the Vermont Safety and Health Expo and Governor’s Excellence in Worksite Wellness Awards ceremony: https://bit.ly/2026VTSHE