Professional Development:

Originally planning to be an accountant (bad idea), health promotion defines who Brad “is” more than what he “does.” From encouraging co-workers to run with him (as grocery bagger at age 16) to earning the “Richard Simmons award” (yes – somewhat embarrassing) for encouraging Physical Therapy school classmates to exercise, to his present day pursuits, he’s not “doing” – he’s simply “being.”

Degrees include BS (Biology), MS (Physical Therapy) and an MBA, which are complimented by national certifications as an Athletic Trainer, Manual Therapist and Wellness Coach. He’s also honored to be award-winning “Career Coach” columnist for the APTA’s national magazine since 2000.

Demonstrated Success:

Brad is the Founder and CEO of US Corporate Wellness, a national provider of comprehensive wellness programs and one of only a handful of organizations to earn Full Accreditation through URAC as a Comprehensive Wellness Provider. He is also the Co-Founder of the Catalyst Coaching Institute, a top educational program allowing individuals to earn their CWC as a Certified Wellness Coach (recognized or approved by the American College of Sports Medicine, Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy and National Athletic Trainer’s Board of Certification). Brad is a nationally recognized speaker, the author of four books and the Career Coach columnist for the American Physical Therapy Association’s national magazine since 2000.  He has also demonstrated relative success in modeling a healthy lifestyle for others as well.  At age 48, he is a 7 time Ironman finisher, including 3 times at the Hawaii Ironman World Championship, and a 2:47 marathoner.

Successful programming runs the full spectrum from web tools to personalized coaching, mobile apps and more, all of which were developed internally rather than being adopted from an outside organization. Results have been widely demonstrated, including control of medical claims (48.2% differential over 3 years compared with non-participants), reduced turnover (2:1 difference in participants vs. non-participants), and high engagement levels (93% of participants surveyed would recommend the wellness program to others).

Regarding WELCOA’s 7 Benchmarks, Mr. Cooper is a strong proponent of all 7 of these areas, integrating them all into the services US Corporate Wellness provides.  A few unique examples include…

• Capturing CEO Support – CEOs are obviously very busy individuals, and capturing support often must begin with earning their time.  In addition to traditional meetings, it is not unusual for Brad to schedule a ride or run with a wellness-focused but busy CEO in order to spend time on strategy and other key aspects.
• Creating Cohesive Wellness Teams…Collecting Data to Drive Health Efforts…Carefully Crafting an Operating Plan…Choosing Appropriate Interventions…Carefully Evaluating Outcomes – In 2012, Mr. Cooper was approached by Thompson Publishing to write their latest book on wellness.  The outcome was Employee Wellness: Implementing a High Impact, High ROI Strategy.  This book is used by US Corporate Wellness partners, independent wellness coaches and many others to effectively address these key WELCOA benchmarks.
• Creating a Supportive Environment – One of our favorite days of the year involves something called the “Celebration of Success” we coordinate with some of our clients, honoring those individuals who have experienced unforgettable years in regards to overcoming obstacles or supporting others’ health and wellness pursuits. It’s an opportunity to cheer on/encourage continued progress in the lives of some very special individuals who we’ve come to know and care about deeply.

Leadership:

Brad consistently serves as a leader/role model. He makes an effort to consistently “walk the F-5 talk” (Faith, Family/Friends, Fitness/Fueling, Finances and Field of Play). He is Daddy to three teenagers, husband of one amazing woman, committed to supporting various organizations with both time and money, mentor to coaches/entrepreneurs, and ten time All-American triathlete/top Masters runner.

The generous insights of other leaders, never-ending study/reading, and a willingness to step out on a limb when others choose to give up are the key resources/experiences that Brad notes have allowed him the opportunity to grow/develop as a leader.

For wellness practitioners looking to become leaders in the field:

Remember that by definition, LEADERS LEAD.  To be a leader, begin by leading a life worthy of imitation… then lead your team with grace, vision and enthusiasm.  Do these two things consistently and effectively and your “team” will continue to grow along with your positive impact on our industry and society as a whole.

Innovation:

We were founded with a goal of developing innovative solutions to age-old problems. A primary example that addresses all 3 of the areas (behavior/culture change and health status) was the decision to develop/make available a comprehensive web portal for independent wellness coaches just starting their business.  This allowed coaches with limited financial resources to immediately launch a professional wellness coaching business, complete with portal, HIPAA-compliant ready notes system, mobile apps, Health Risk Assessment, electronic calendar, professional email address and much more for a fraction of the actual cost. This was originally provided to support those completing our CWC certification and has now been expanded to be available to all wellness coaches.  It is hoped that this innovative offering will allow many individuals the opportunity to effectively launch their wellness coaching business and help positively change lives without having to go into debt to do so.

Compelling Vision:

Our industry sits at a critical juncture. Technological developments have created opportunities to engage/track health status and behavior far beyond what existed even just a few years ago. There will be further advancements in the coming years. These developments certainly have the potential to enhance our outcomes as health promotion professionals and must continue to be enhanced.  HOWEVER, we must never lose touch with the fact that we are working with unique human beings  in our profession and that it’s the personal connection that creates both the setting and the opportunity for behavior change that technology can never equal. We will certainly be involved in further integration of technology into our offerings but are committed to emphasizing the value and importance of making the personal connection central to our mission as both a wellness provider and a coaching institute in the years ahead.