BALTIMORE, MD -- The Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO) recognized outstanding contributions by workplace professionals within the health and well-being industry last week during the HERO Forum24 annual conference at the Renaissance Harborplace in Baltimore, MD.

Award recipients included: Michael J. Critelli, JD (Bill Whitmer Leadership Award), Ronald J Ozminkowski, PhD (Mark Dundon Research Award), Jerry Norcia (Jerry Noyce Executive Health Champion Award), David Ruud (Jerry Noyce Executive Health Champion Award) Karen Personett (Heart of HERO Award), and Carlo Anton Fontenot (Healthy HERO Award).

“HERO is proud to recognize these individuals who are making a meaningful impact in the science of health and well-being and how it is applied in practice,” said Karen Moseley, HERO president & CEO. “Around the Forum24 theme of belonging, it is an honor to gather with our HERO family and friends to celebrate these individuals for their role in elevating health and well-being as an imperative for businesses, especially in this age of constant change.”

About the recipients:
• Bill Whitmer Leadership Award. Michael J. Critelli, JD, is the co-founder and CEO of MoveFlux and its affiliate, MakeUsWell Network. As an executive, entrepreneur, board member, educator, philanthropist, community leader, and investor, he has focused on health and well-being for over 35 years. As the CEO and Chairman of Pitney Bowes (1996-2008), Michael led innovation in employer-sponsored healthcare that was profiled in a Harvard Business School case study and was linked to enhanced shareholder value. He has influenced numerous leaders to champion cultures of health and continues to do so through advisory and board service.

• Mark Dundon Research Award. Ronald J Ozminkowski, PhD, is a senior vice president for Aon in the Commercial Analytics division. An internationally recognized executive leader, consultant, writer, and chief scientist, his research has reached over 100 countries. Ron is a strategic thought leader, exemplified by over 160 peer-reviewed and

• on access to care, social determinants of health and well-being, and evaluations of the impact of clinical, pharmaceutical, and social programs designed to improve health and healthcare. His research collaborators and clients have included experts in The White House, federal and state agencies, life sciences companies, employers and insurers, pharmaceutical companies, industry groups, and health systems.

• Jerry Noyce Executive Health Champion Award. Jerry Norcia is the CEO of DTE Energy and chairman of the company’s board of directors. He has more than 30 years of experience in the energy industry, where he has worked in executive leadership roles, business development, engineering, and operations. Under his leadership, DTE Energy has made significant strides in creating a culture of health, including the establishment of a Wellbeing Executive Leadership Committee, integrating health into its operating model and hosting annual town halls aimed at reducing the stigma around mental health challenges. Jerry is the chair of the board for the American Gas Association. Multiple boards of directors benefit from his service, including Henry Ford Health, Business Leaders for Michigan, the Detroit Regional Partnership, the Downtown Detroit Partnership, Edison Electrical Institute, Nuclear Energy Institute, and the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations.

• Jerry Noyce Executive Health Champion Award. David Ruud, MBA, is executive vice president and CFO of DTE Energy. As the executive chair of the DTE Wellbeing Executive Leadership Committee, he believes that well-being is fundamental to the company’s success and, therefore, is a driving force behind DTE’s commitment to become a best-in-class culture of health and well-being. He is the chair of the board of directors for Ann Arbor SPARK and serves on the boards of the Downtown Detroit Partnership and the National Association of Manufacturers.

• Heart of HERO Award. Karen Personett is the manager of health and well-being for DTE Energy. Since taking this role in 2016, DTE has garnered 20 industry awards, including the C. Everett Koop Health Award, and has been highlighted as a best practice example in the U.S. Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health & Wellbeing. With over 20 years of experience in leading transformational movements and a proven track record of driving meaningful and sustainable organizational change, Karen advocates for well-being as the cornerstone of personal and organizational success and uses her strengths to create a shared vision and to unify efforts in diverse matrixed organizations.

• Healthy HERO Award, sponsored by Workpartners, a health and productivity solutions company and affiliate of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) and UPMC Health Plan, recognizes individuals who have improved their overall health and well-being by making a significant lifestyle change. The 2024 Healthy HERO Award recipient is Carlo Anton Fontenot, the quality/environmental/safety manager at Covestro LLC.