Heroes in Health: Breakfast of Champions

Two seemingly diverse interests bound by a shared goal—a healthier, fitter Kansas City—came together March 13 for the 10th Annual Heroes in Health Breakfast. The event paid tribute to Ingram’s 2013 Heroes in Healthcare—our 10th effort to recognize the extraordinary contributions of people in that sector—and the winners of the 2012–13 Fittest Execs and Fittest Companies Challenge.

Breakfast was served at the Marriott Downtown Kansas City, then awards were presented to health-care professionals in the fields of administration, nursing, professional and auxiliary services, lifetime service and volunteer work. Afterward, winners came to the stage to accept awards in eight individual and two team categories in the Fittest Execs and Fittest Companies Challenge, for both overall fitness and most improved health.

The nearly 300 people attending also heard comments from David Byrd, chief executive of the YMCA of Greater Kansas City, and David Gentile, CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield Kansas City, each of whom stressed the need for people to maintain or regain a higher level of fitness as the nation combats rising costs of health care and insurance. David Rusconi, vice president of performance improvement at University of Kansas Hospital, also spoke on the contributions made by the Heroes in Healthcare.

All three organizations play a vital role in the Fittest Execs and Fittest Companies Challenge—Blue Cross and Blue Shield serves as the lead sponsor, while The Y provides fitness testing for each of the competitors and University of Kansas Hospital serves as medical testing partner, providing blood-lipid metrics for the field.