CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) today announced the nine winners of its statewide Get Fit Challenge. The challenge, powered by Rival FusionTM,[i] provided 81 North Carolina businesses, including more than 5,000 employees, with customized fitness programs to help them get fit, lose weight and create lasting, healthy habits over the course of 60 days. Overall, employees at the 81 companies collectively lost 13,805 pounds and improved their fitness levels by an average of 21.2 percent.[ii]
 
Kicking off in January, the challenge helped businesses such as First Citizens Bank, Triangle Transit and Kayser-Roth Corporation improve and track fitness levels. Monthly fitness tests allowed participants to measure fitness level improvement and compare it against national averages for age and gender.
 
“North Carolina businesses have shown their commitment to providing their employees with the support and tools to get fit,” said Sean Kerns, BCBSNC vice president of Specialty Markets. “Through the Get Fit Challenge, employees worked as a team to improve their fitness levels, get healthy and lose almost seven tons of weight. This effort has jump started new behaviors and habits that will help employees improve their quality of life and reduce their health care spending over time.”
 
Companies were grouped into three categories based on number of employees. First-place winners will receive $5,000 each to help encourage lasting, healthy workplace habits for their entire employee population.
 
Small Group Results (Businesses with 50-249 total employees)
 
Place
Company
Location
Fitness Improvement
First Place
Greensboro Housing Authority
 
Greensboro
59.61%
Second Place
Boys & Girls Homes of North Carolina
 
Lake Waccamaw
55.42%
Third Place
GHA Autism Supports
 
Albemarle
43.04%
 
“The Get Fit Challenge inspired us to work as a team, have fun and improve our fitness level. We now have a new, healthy routine that we can all do together to stay fit,” said Tina Akers Brown, Greensboro Housing Authority Chief Executive Officer.
 
Medium Group Results (Businesses with 250-999 total employees)
 
Place
Company
Location
Fitness Improvement
First Place
 
Town of Apex
 
Apex
50.45%
Second Place
Hospice & Palliative Care Charlotte Region
 
Charlotte
42.55%
 
Third Place
Henderson County
 
Hendersonville
38.42%
 
 
“On average, our employees are 50 percent more fit. Despite the challenge ending, we will continue to promote eating healthy and exercising often,” said Eleanor Green, Town of Apex Human Resources Director. “We plan to stay motivated by using our prize money for biometric screenings and prizes for employee wellness competitions.”
 
Large Group Results (Businesses with 1,000 or more total employees)
 
Place
Company
Location
Fitness Improvement
First place
New Hanover County Employee Group
 
Wilmington
29.81%
 
Second place
Davidson County Government
 
Lexington
28.98%
 
Second place
 
International Textile Group
 
Greensboro
28.44%
Third place
First Citizens Bank
 
Raleigh
25.41%
 
 
“By participating in the Get Fit Challenge, we’ve been able to take our office support system to the next level,” said Amy Cook, New Hanover County Human Resources Analyst. “The challenge has inspired our employees to support each other not only with their day-to-day work but also with their personal health goals.”
 
In addition to earning third place among the large group competitors, First Citizens Bank also received special recognition for impacting the greatest number of employees, with the most employee participation. First Citizens Bank had 748 employees across 16 states participate in the challenge.
 
“At First Citizens Bank, we are committed to finding the best health and wellness solution for our associates,” said Maureen Goode, Manager of Corporate Benefits & Wellness at First Citizens Bank. “The Get Fit Challenge allowed us to offer our associates a strong program that fits their individual needs.”
 
To learn more about the Get Fit Challenge, visit www.bcbsnc.com/getfitnc. To see the full list of competing organizations, click here.
 
About BCBSNC:
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is a leader in delivering innovative health care products, services and information to more than 3.74 million members, including approximately 1 million served on behalf of other Blue Plans. For generations, the company has served its customers by offering health insurance at a competitive price and has served the people of North Carolina through support of community organizations, programs and events that promote good health. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina was recognized as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere Institute in 2012 and 2013. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Visit BCBSNC online at bcbsnc.com.


[i] Rival Fusion is independent of BCBSNC.
[ii] Fitness level improvement was determined by monitoring performance in certain physical measures, including endurance and strength challenges.