//www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZGtLH-LLnI
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXtLy7edkqQ
Howard Gruverman Appointed Chairman of local Heart Association Board
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The American Heart Association is pleased to
announce the appointment of Howard Gruverman, the Chairman of the
organization’s South Florida Board. Gruverman, CEO of EDIFY USA, whose
company is established as a National leader in offering solutions for
improving health of employees and employer plans, is proud to drive the
American Heart Association’s 2020 Impact Goal to improve the heart
health of all Americans by 20 percent, while reducing deaths from
cardiovascular diseases and stroke by 20 percent. Heart disease and
stroke are the No. 1 and No. 3 killers, respectively, of American men
and women.
Gruverman’s involvement in the healthcare industry began more than 23
years ago. His passion for the American Heart Association stems from his
own family’s history of heart disease. Gruverman’s father suffered
several heart attacks and his grandfather died at a fairly young age.
These factors led Gruverman to become very interested in research,
cures, and new medicines at a young age.
Gruverman and his team of impressive Board Members have identified the
focus area of “Making My Community Healthier” throughout their term of
service by working with largest employers in the area, including
corporations, counties, cities and schools, and to help 50 new companies
earn national American Heart Association recognition as a Start!
Fit-Friendly company by August 2011.
“I believe if we can educate and provide necessary resources to the
community, we will be able to affect change and improve the health
status of a large group of people, ultimately improving quality of
life,” said Gruverman. “The results will not only positively affect
heart conditions, but will also improve many other illnesses.”
Currently, there are (TBD) Fit-Friendly companies, all who have met
standardized criteria to show they are investing in the health of their
employees and creating a wellness environment, across Palm Beach,
Broward and Miami-Dade Counties. Additional companies will be announced
in early October and again in Spring 2011. Fit-Friendly recognition is a
pillar component of the American Heart Association’s Start! movement, a
program designed to increase the physical activity of employers and
their employees through walking.
As of press time, American Heart Association South Florida Board Members
include: Sister Linda Bevilacqua, OP, Ph.D, President of Barry
University; Diana Block, Vice President of Revenue Management &
Deployment, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines; Shirley Brown, Senior
Congregational Health Chaplain & Pastoral Care Educator, Baptist
Health South Florida; Glenn Criser, Senior Vice President – Division
Counsel, Biomet 3i; Melanie Dickinson, Publisher, South Florida Business
Journal; Richard Luceri, M.D.- V.P. Healthcare Services, JM Family
Enterprises; Ali Malek, M.D., Neurointerventionalist, St. Mary’s Medical
Center; William W. O’Neill, M.D., Executive Director for Clinical
Affairs – Professor of Medicine and Cardiology, University of Miami
Miller School of Medicine; Marsha Powers, Chief Executive Officer, Tenet
South Florida; Jeremy Straub, Complex Director, Ameriprise Financial;
Paula Thaqi, M.D., M.P.H., Director of Broward County Health Department
and Dileep Yavagal, M.D., Director of Neurointerventional Neurology,
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
For further information on the American Heart Association’s Start!
Fit-Friendly initiative, visit www.startwalkingnow.org or call your
local American Heart Association office at 305-856-1449 in Miami-Dade
County, 954-772-8100 in Broward County and 561-615-3888 in Palm Beach
County.
# # #