Priority Health Sponsors Semi-Pro Athletes to Promote Wellness across Michigan

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Priority Health is launching a new program to promote health and wellness across Michigan. The company is sponsoring Team Priority Health, a group of more than 65 Michigan athletes, who represent runners, cyclists, triathletes and adventure sports. These semi-pro athletes will compete in races across Michigan, visit local schools, participate in community events and share their personal stories and experiences to promote the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle.

“Our hope is that these athletes will serve as an inspiration for others to lead healthier lives.”

“Each of us needs to take personal responsibility for our health — whether it is eating healthy or being more active,” said Kimberly K. Horn, president and CEO for Priority Health. “Our hope is that these athletes will serve as an inspiration for others to lead healthier lives.”

Priority Health has sponsored a cycling team for five years. The cycling team has seen significant success reaching more than 100,000 kids and families with healthy tips and wellness messages, competing in more than 500 races, making more than 1,000 appearances at community events, visiting more than 200 schools and providing more than 5,000 helmets and helmet safety checks to kids across Michigan. The new sponsorship expands the number and type of athletes that will compete under the name Team Priority Health, increasing the number of events and races the team will be a part of in 2011.

The Team is already scheduled to participate in events in Alpena, Detroit, Holland, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Marquette, Royal Oak and Traverse City. The athletes are supervised by two management teams, including Mark and Cheryl Olson of Athletic Mentors in Kalamazoo and Jeff Watters of Watters Performance Enhancement in Detroit.

To learn more about Team Priority Health and its team members, visit www.teampriorityhealth.com or sign up to follow the Team on Facebook.

About Priority Health:

Priority Health is an award-winning health benefits company recognized for its innovative solutions that improve health, lower costs and increase patient satisfaction. It provides more than 600,000 people with a broad portfolio of products, including commercial and government health plans. As a nonprofit, Priority Health has a mission to make health care obtainable for all and provides its customers with a seamless health care experience. The company continues to be rated as one of America’s Best Health Plans by U.S. News & World Report and the National Committee for Quality Assurance.