Further, through the creation and dissemination of evidence-based EHM research, education and best practices,
HERO actively and continually provides leadership critical to advancing the wellbeing and performance of the
nation’s workforce. Much of the good work that HERO does is achieved through the efforts of its volunteer
committees. Many of the members of the Think Tank and others in their organizations are involved in committee
work. Some members are participating in more than one committee. Two types of HERO committees are active
today, HERO Standing Committees and HERO Study Committees.
Our Standing Committees- Education, Leadership and Research - work on important initiatives throughout each
year.
The HERO Study Committees are formed to focus on specific topics of importance in the field of health
management. These committees come together to discuss, analyze and research these topics to produce a
deliverable, typically a written document, that can be shared with the marketplace and is focused on providing
understanding and guidance to employers.
Examples of the contributions that HERO committees have made include:
THE HERO EHM BEST PRACTICE SCORECARD IN COLLABORATION WITH MERCER
The Scorecard is now in its third version, with a fourth version in development. This important benchmarking tool
was developed and continues to be enhanced by volunteer members of the Research Committee.
THE HERO FORUM FOR EMPLOYEE HEALTH MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS
The Forum is going into its ninth year in 2014. The highly interactive Forum has changed the way EHM
conferencing is done. This concept was created by members of the HERO Think Tank.
HERO RESEARCH
HERO began as a research organization. Early work included foundational industry research on the connection
between excess health care costs and health risks for chronic disease.
Continuing on this course, HERO, through the efforts of its Research Committee, has facilitated numerous studies
that have been published in peer-reviewed journals.
HERO STUDY COMMITTEES WORK PRODUCT
HERO Study Committees are active in creating guidance documents, tools and other resources for employers
interested in providing health management programs to their workers. Two examples of committee work are
guidance papers for employers on creating a reasonably designed wellness program using outcomes based
incentives, and one on the “how to” of providing successful biometric screenings for employees.
Our goal for committee work is to identify opportunities for involvement and match those with member
interests and expertise in a way that both meets HERO’s needs and is mindful of members’ other obligations and
desired levels of participation.
Following is a description of HERO committees and the purpose of their work.
C O M M I T T E E S
HERO is a member-driven coalition of employers, providers, consultants, academic institutions and associations
who share a belief that Employee Health Management (EHM) is a scientifically sound, evidence-based approach
to achieving health improvements for their employees.
HERO STANDING COMMITTEES
Chair: Jack Curtis

Think Tank Planning Subcommittee

Membership Subcommittee

Awards & Recognition Subcommittee
HERO EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Chair: David Ballard, PhD

Training and Development Subcommittee
(includes the HERO Forum, webinars and other
shared leaning activities)

Member Communications Subcommittee

Public Relations Subcommittee
HERO RESEARCH COMMITTEE
Chair: David Anderson, PhD

Research Advisory Group

Measurement Standards Subcommittee

Research Study Subcommittee
C O M M I T T E E S
HERO LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE
Following is a more detailed description of the Standing Committees and their Subcommittees.
The Leadership Committee is comprised of Think Tank members who have special interests and skills in analyzing
future EHM needs and opportunities and suggesting projects that will keep HERO on the cutting edge of the EHM
world. This Committee will have a major influence on the future of HERO and the success we will have. The
Leadership Committee is comprised of three subcommittees that operate under the direction of the Leadership
Committee Chairperson.
LEADERSHIP SUBCOMMITTEES
THINK TANK PLANNING SUBCOMMITTEE
Mission: To work with staff to guide the direction of Think Tank events and activities to continue to build value
for Think Tank members.
Responsibilities: Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 1) Be constantly aware of the development of
industry operations, actions and activities of competitive EHM organizations; 2) Identify, discuss and recommend
important Think Tank needs and opportunities for the next several years; 3) Be alert for the potential to
collaborate with organizations; 4) Help create the road map for future HERO growth and success; and 5) assist
staff in planning Think Tank member activities.
MEMBERSHIP SUBCOMMITTEE
Mission: To support HERO in achieving and maintaining a desirable number of member
organizations in the Think Tank while balancing the mix of employer and provider
members to create an environment of mutual trust and respect.
Responsibilities: Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 1) create a membership
recruitment process for HERO; 2) Be aware of the Think Tank members who deactivate their memberships and
recommend new corporate, university and provider organizations to fill those open seats; 3) Manage the Think
Tank membership to ensure balanced representation and ensure an adequate corporate presence; 4) Develop
new methods to promote Think Tank membership.
AWARDS & RECOGNITION SUBCOMMITTEE
Mission: To create and provide meaningful forms of recognition to organizations and
individuals who contribute to the success of EHM.
Responsibilities: include 1) develop new awards to recognize achievement; 2) create
guidelines and processes to identify award nominees; 3) participate in the award ceremony; and 4) coordinate
with the Education Committee to publicize the award winners. n a
C O M M I T T E E S
LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE
EDUCATION COMMITTEE
EDUCATION SUBCOMMITTEES
TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT SUBCOMMITTEES
Mission: To advance the principles, science and practice of employee health management through the development,
implementation and dissemination of high-quality educational offerings.
Responsibilities: Subcommittee responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 1) Develop a theme for the Forum and
make recommendations for locations; 2) Be involved in creating the Forum agenda, including recommending
individuals and organizations to be facilitators, soliciting submissions and selecting programs; 3) Provide suggestions
and leads for securing Forum Educational Grants; and 4) Provide recommendations for and facilitate the
development of webinars and other shared learning events that enhance and extend HERO’s already successful
educational efforts.
Membership: This is a subcommittee of Think Tank members who have interest in EHM education and training.
MEMBER COMMUNICATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE
Mission: To disseminate EHM research, learning and best practices, keep internal
stakeholders up to date on HERO activities and foster Think Tank Member engagement
through effective two-way communication.
Responsibilities: The responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 1) Assist in the
assessment of member needs and preferences with regard to communication content and
format; 2) Develop newsletters and other communication vehicles to support HERO’s
educational efforts; 3) Be involved in identifying content areas and contributors for the
various communication channels; and 4) Generate content that provides value to Think
Tank Members and keeps them informed about HERO activities.
Membership: This is a subcommittee of Think Tank members who have interest and experience in print and
electronic communication, content development and member relations.
PUBLIC RELATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE
Mission: To advance the well-being and performance of the nation’s workforce and position HERO as an expert
resource by regularly providing information to the public and other stakeholder groups about critical EHM issues and
disseminating research, learning and best practices.
Responsibilities: The responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 1) Monitor environmental and market trends that
have implications for employers and the EHM industry; 2) Help build a network of contacts to facilitate two-way
communication between HERO and various external stakeholders; 3) Identify opportunities for HERO to share its
expertise and educate the public about EHM; 4) Assist in the development and distribution of press releases; and 5)
Engage and educate the public and other external stakeholders through the use of social media and other
communication tools.
Membership: This is a subcommittee of Think Tank members who have interest and experience in public education
and outreach.
C O M M I T T E E S
The Education Committee is a group of Think Tank members who have interests and expertise in EHM education,
communication and shared learning. Over the past few years, several factors have converged, which require
renewed efforts in the areas of both member and public education. The number of HERO projects and interests has
increased significantly, requiring enhanced internal communication with Think Tank Members. At the same time,
systems-level changes, including policy efforts that emphasize wellness, increased public awareness of workplace
health promotion and corresponding growth in the EHM industry, provide many opportunities for HERO to position
itself in an expert role and demonstrate value to employers and the general public. Additionally, new
communication technologies have evolved that can facilitate the dissemination of high level information, enhancing
HERO’s already-successful education efforts and extending the shared learning to provide even greater value to both
internal and external stakeholders.
The Educations Committee’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 1) Monitoring environmental and market
trends that have implications for employers and the EHM industry; 2)Establishing goals, strategies and processes to
support high-quality educational offerings, including the Forum, webinars and other shared-learning activities; 3)
Keeping the Think Tank membership up to date on all HERO activities through the use of e-newsletters and other
communication vehicles; and 4) Providing information to the public and other stakeholder groups about critical EHM
issues and resources available from HERO.
RESEARCH COMMITTEE
RESEARCH SUBCOMMITTEES
RESEARCH ADVISORY GROUP
Mission: The Research Advisory Group has two areas of responsibility. One is to set the HERO research agenda by
aligning the goals of HERO and the Think Tank membership with EHM research needs, opportunities, and funding.
The second is to support the organization in seeking funding to conduct and facilitate unbiased and meaningful
EHM research.
Responsibilities: include: 1) maintaining awareness of EHM peer-reviewed and industry research; 2) identifying key
knowledge gaps; 3) generating ideas for EHM research projects to achieve HERO research objectives; and 4)
seeking research collaboration opportunities; 5) Develop knowledge of EHM research grant opportunities; 6)
Assist HERO staff in identifying and obtaining research grants to support HERO research.
Membership: This is a group of experienced EHM researcher and practitioners appointed to assure the correct
blend of research expertise and experience.
MEASUREMENT STANDARDS SUBCOMMITTEES
Mission: To develop and pursue the adoption of EHM measurement standards and guidelines, including the
refinement of the HERO Scorecard to measure and benchmark EHM best practices.
Responsibilities: include: 1) identifying and operationally defining key EHM outcomes based on the needs of
employers, providers, consultants, researchers, accrediting organizations, etc.; 2) supporting future enhancements
to the HERO Scorecard, including integrating relevant outcome measures into the Scorecard; and 3) and pursuing
broad adoption of HERO outcomes standards, seeking relevant collaborations with EHM accreditation
organizations and industry associations.
Membership: Think Tank members knowledgeable about EHM measurement and evaluation, as well as employer
and other stakeholder members who can specify measurement needs. The members include a mix of appointees
based on expertise and volunteers.
RESEARCH STUDY SUBCOMMITTEE
Mission: To provide guidance, oversight, and expertise to the design and implementation of HERO-facilitated
research.
Responsibilities: include: 1) developing research designs that achieve the HERO research objectives; 2) reviewing
research proposals by third-party researchers and other collaborators; 3) reviewing research findings and develop
manuscripts for peer-review and other HERO research publications; and 4) presenting findings at selected
professional and scientific meetings.
Membership: This is a larger Committee including Think Tank members knowledgeable about EHM research, as
well as employer and other stakeholder members who can specify research needs. The members include a mix of
appointees based on expertise and volunteers.
C O M M I T T E E S
The Research committee seeks to set the HERO research agenda and provide guidance and expertise in making
HERO a respected contributor and major player in the creation, publication, and dissemination of unbiased and
meaningful EHM research and best practices. The Research Committee includes three subcommittees that operate
under the direction of the Research Committee chairperson.
Standing Committee Operating Guidelines
COMMITTEE & SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRS AND VICE CHAIRS

Chairs and Vice Chairs will serve for a two year term coinciding with the term of office of the officers of the
HERO Board of Directors.

Committee Chairs will be selected by the incoming Chairman of the Board of Directors in consultation with the
outgoing Committee Chair and the CEO.

Committee Vice Chairs and Subcommittee Chairs and Vice Chairs will be selected by the incoming Committee
Chair.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Those individuals interested in serving on committees should be willing to commit to service for a minimum of one
year.
Committee work is variable in terms of time demands on committee members. On average, a Committee Member
should anticipate giving approximately five hours per month for committee work.
Most Committee work will be done via email and teleconferencing. Travel will not be required of Committee
Members, although in-person meetings may be held from time to time. For in-person meetings, call-in
participation will be an option if feasible.
C O M M I T T E E S
Typically, those who serve on HERO Committees must be employees of Think Tank member organizations. At the
discretion of the Committee Chair, and in consultation with the CEO, individuals not employed by Think Tank
member organizations may be invited to participate on committees due to special knowledge or skill sets they
bring to particular projects the Committee is undertaking that are important to advancing the success of that
work.
HERO STUDY COMMITTEES
Once this work is completed, the study committee becomes inactive until another need/opportunity arises in the
marketplace to address this topic.
Currently Active Study Committees include:
“Culture of Health” Study Committee
Co-Chairs: Katherine Meacham, Health Fitness Corporation, Ralph Colao, Viridian Health Management & Peg
Fenner-Gulledge, American Water
It has long been an intuitive belief that corporate culture can have a major impact on worker health and the
potential success of Employee Health Management programs. Exactly what is corporate culture? What are the
elements that make up corporate culture? What makes a healthy culture or an unhealthy culture? How
differently do employees behave in each type of culture?
The HERO Study Committee on Corporate Culture seeks to answer these questions and explore existing resources
available to assist employers and others in evaluating existing culture and in the establishment of healthy
workplace cultures.
“Health, Performance & Productivity” Study Committee
Co-Chairs: Josh Glynn, Google & Jack Groppel, Wellness & Prevention, a Johnson & Johnson company.
In an attempt to answer an unmet need in business, this study group was developed to gain true understanding
of the effect of health on individual, team and enterprise-wide performance. The group is investigating the data
that exist today while also working towards disruptive innovation/research in the field; with an end result of
developing viable research goal that will display value (or lack thereof) of health on job performance in thought
based jobs. It is anticipated that this could shape new performance-based paradigms in EHM.
“Employer-Community Collaboration” Study Committee
Co-Chairs: Cathy Baase, Dow Chemical Co. & Nico Pronk, Health Partners
There is a paradigm developing-employers partnering with community health to improve the health of both the
workforce and the community in which the business is located. Several projects are underway across the country.
This committee’s charge will be investigate collaborations of this type that are occurring with a focus on
identifying and sharing innovative best practices with the employer community.
Please contact Jerry Noyce at HERO [email protected] to discuss joining a HERO committee.
C O M M I T T E E S
Study Committees are formed to focus on specific topics of interest in the field of health management. These
committees have as their purpose; 1) to more thoroughly educate themselves on the subject under study; 2)
share this knowledge with the general HERO membership; and 3) educate the employer community on the topic,
including creating documents, tools and resources to help employers understand and implement best practices in
this area.