Member Spotlight: The Telford Group

The Telford Group became a member of The Wellness Council of Maine/Wellness Council of America in early 2008. This global aviation company has approximately 80 employees in two locations in Bangor, ME and over 200 located elsewhere in the US and worldwide. Employee health and wellness is an important part of The Telford Group. CEO Telford Allen and President Bob Ziegelaar talk the talk AND walk the walk – both work out regularly at a nearby gym. Mr. Allen has even participated in several state power lifting competitions. In a recent letter to all Telford Group Bangor employees, he encouraged them to take part in the company wellness program. He asks his staff to consider the benefit of improving their individual health both to the company AND every employee personally. In his letter, he states, "The only way we can affect our insurance costs is with personal action." Mr. Allen admitted that he initially underestimated the effects of improved nutrition and exercise on his own health and tells employees that "what we eat or don't eat, do or don't do, does make a difference." He closes the letter by saying, "In short, your health is important to you, your family and the people you work with on a daily basis. Participating in our Wellness Program is a step in the right direction."

 

HR Manager Cathy Howard leads the Wellness Team using WELCOA's 7 Benchmarks model. The team is comprised of members from both Bangor locations and represents employees from different working parts of the company. President Bob Ziegelaar is also a member of the team. They meet monthly and are in charge of selecting and designing programming that meets both the company and employee needs based on aggregate Health Risk Appraisal results. A solid percentage of The Telford Group's Bangor employees take advantage of the health assessments and health improvement opportunities offered by their wellness program. Their 2009 Health Risk Assessments had over a 75% participation rate! The Wellness Team saves time by utilizing many of the free resources made available to WELCOA members, including "Step By Step" (Physical Activity) and "Explore The New Pyramid" (Nutrition) programs. They recently began their own weight loss initiative, taking advantage of warehouse shipping scales to weigh in as teams and track the percentage of weight lost for each team. Telford employees have FUN with their wellness activities too -- the six participating weight loss teams have names such as The Wingnuts and The Tele-Tubbies. The Wellness Bulletin Board, located in both Bangor buildings, reflects the activities of the month and provides supplements such as brochures, articles, and recipes for employees to read or take home.

 

The Telford Group is now taking their program to the next level and working on their first Well Workplace Award Application. Cathy Howard and Team have had several planning meetings with Jaime Laliberte, Director of the Wellness Council of Maine, and are among the first in Maine to tackle the intense application in its new online format. The teamwork, energy, and fun-loving spirit within the borders of The Telford Group campus are palpable. The Telford Group is a great example of a WLCME/WELCOA company in Maine that truly cares about and takes a keen interest in the health and well-being of their workforce. At the same time, by building employee health into their business strategy, they are progressive and forward-thinking business leaders. Those These two factors combined create a recipe for success!

 

About The Telford Group

Formed in 1982, as a General Aviation charter operator, Telford Aviation Services diversified into Regional Aircraft maintenance in the early 1990s after acquiring the General Aviation Repair Station at Bangor International Airport in Bangor, Maine. The growing national fleet of commuter aircraft, especially along the Eastern seaboard provided a logical opportunity for growth and expansion. Conveniently located along the Great Circle transatlantic route, Telford's first customers were operators moving aircraft between the US and other parts of the world. The company soon developed an expertise in the maintenance of certain DeHavilland aircraft models and since then the company's scope has been broadened to include a variety of market specific products and services. The Telford Group provides diversified and high quality technical and operational support services within the larger aviation industry. Today, their range of activities includes:

• Heavy Maintenance Services for regional, corporate and private aircraft
• Aircraft Engineering and Modification
• Aircraft Leasing
• Aircraft Parts Sales and Leasing
• Government Support Services