80s

It all began in 1984 when Dave Pickering, founder of Preventure had an idea.  With years of employee benefit experience and as co-owner of a New England based Employee Benefits brokerage firm, he knew healthy employees would have a huge impact on a company’s bottom-line.  He was the first in the industry to offer health club memberships and wellness programs as employee benefits, as a new division at Healthtrax, called Healthtrax Corporate Services. Inc. – “The Corporate Wellness People”

Meanwhile, Preventure Partner/Chief Operating Officer, Mark Correia was also beginning his fitness career  with Healthtrax, Inc.  By the late 80’s, he was overseeing four of the largest multi-purpose fitness and recreation facilities in New England. During this time, he was charged with transitioning these clubs from recreation focused to fitness and wellness based.

In the late 80s, their paths crossed at Healthtrax and they began to work together to integrate the Heathtrax Corporate Services concept into the heath club environment.

90s
Studies began to document the success that wellness programs were providing, causing more and more companies to look for a solution.  Recognizing this, Dave left Healthrax to launch the International Fitness Club Network (IFCN) in 1991. This network was one of the first of its kind to provide regional, as well as national corporations and health insurers, a single source for health clubs and wellness programs. With Dave’s departure, Mark took over the Corporate Services program where he expanded it to include onsite health promotion and wellness services, as well as, worksite rehabilitation and injury prevention programs.

As the 90s came to a close, Dave launched Preventure to offer clients fully integrated fitness and wellness benefits with additional fitness options including walking programs, home fitness equipment, and self-paced wellness programs. 

2000
In 2003, Mark and Dave became partners at Preventure.  Looking back on the past two decades, they developed a new corporate wellness model with a goal to make Preventure the country’s leading provider of comprehensive wellness and fitness solutions for corporations and health insurers. This model was designed to ensure that they were building and implementing successful, cutting edge and innovative strategies customized for each client. It is this thinking that has laid the foundation for our proprietary process called PATH – People Achieving Total Health.

Dave became a sought after speaker in the corporate wellness space around the world, including engagements in the U.S., Brazil, Thailand, China, and France, speaking about corporate wellness and Preventure’s success.  In 2008 Dave was also asked to join the Wellness Accreditation Advisory Board of the Utilization Review Accreditation Commission (URAC). His expertise was critical in developing measures and standards by which Corporate Wellness Providers are credentialed in the U.S. today.

The Preventure Senior Management Team grew to include Laura Walmsley and Kathy O’Neel Webster.  Their experience and passion for corporate wellness has propelled Preventure to even greater heights. Under their direction, Preventure has seen the development of Preventure’s proprietary programs; the PATH Health Improvement Model, the revolutionary 360° Engagement Strategy and the outcomes-driven Wellness Data Warehouse - all key differentiators for Preventure.

2010
As Preventure moves into yet another decade we are pleased to say we have served over 10 million people through our wellness programs. Our mission continues to be the same as when our founder got started over three decades ago: We strive to understand our clients and prospects better than anyone else and provide them with the cultural and financial benefits of a healthier workplace. 

We look forward to the next decade partnering with great companies in their quest for corporate wellness.