We Energies' Focus on Employee Health and Wellness Helps Milwaukee Become a 'Well City'

MILWAUKEE, April 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Milwaukeeans can credit local businesses like We Energies for achieving the official Well City USA designation recently awarded by the Wellness Council of America (WELCOA). The designation names Milwaukee as a healthy place to live and work, and recognizes the strides of businesses like We Energies to promote healthy lifestyles in the workplace and in the greater Milwaukee community.

Well City USA, a nationally recognized program of WELCOA, is a communitywide initiative that encourages employers to develop worksite wellness programs that meet WELCOA's standards. We Energies has been committed to meeting the WELCOA standard of excellence since 1999.

In 2008, We Energies garnered the Well Workplace Gold Award by WELCOA, recognizing the company as one of America's healthiest workplaces. This designation contributed to Milwaukee's Well City USA recognition. As part of the designation process, a total of 20 employers representing at least 20 percent of Milwaukee's employed population needed to achieve accreditation as Well Workplaces to earn the designation.

Beyond simply achieving Gold Award status, We Energies has worked with other employers by supporting their efforts to achieve a Well Workplace designation. Company representatives regularly participate in networking meetings, serve as panelists for Well Workplace discussions and offer to mentor companies in need of additional support.

"Health-related programs are a strategic and integral part of our business," said Arthur Zintek, vice president – Human Resources for We Energies. He adds, "As sponsors of the Well City Milwaukee initiative and recipients of the Well Workplace Award, we are proud to be a well workplace, headquartered in what has now been designated a well city."

"The Well City USA designation shows us that Milwaukee is working in a positive direction toward promoting the health and well-being of individuals in the community," said Janet McMahon, executive director of Well City Milwaukee. "Well City Milwaukee fits with the image we want to project as a city – revitalized, vibrant, active and progressive."

We Energies serves more than 1.1 million electric customers in Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula and more than 1 million natural gas customers in Wisconsin. Our electricity prices are well below the national average. We Energies is the trade name of Wisconsin Electric Power Company and Wisconsin Gas LLC, the principal utility subsidiaries of Wisconsin Energy Corporation (NYSE: WEC). Visit the We Energies Web site at www.we-energies.com. Learn more about Wisconsin Energy Corporation by visiting www.wisconsinenergy.com.

SOURCE We Energies