Feb. 04, 2008

PGE CEO Peggy Fowler to chair 2008 Start! Greater Portland Heart Walk

Portland, Ore. — Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in the country and Peggy Fowler, CEO and president of Portland General Electric (PGE), is doing something about it. A passionate advocate for health and wellness, Fowler is channeling her energy into raising funds and awareness about the benefits of a healthy, active lifestyle by serving as chair of the 2008 Start! Greater Portland Heart Walk.

“Heart disease has touched my family, friends and too many of my coworkers, especially in the past year, so this is a very personal issue for me,” Fowler said. “We need to do more education and outreach to help people understand this disease is preventable.  The Heart Walk is a great way to do that.”

Fowler said health and wellness also is a business issue. Healthcare is identified by many members of the Oregon business community (including PGE) as one of the most serious problems their companies face. With the U.S. Department of Health estimating health and fitness programs can reduce healthcare costs by as much as 20-55 percent while at the same time increasing productivity, Fowler is working to engage other Oregon-based businesses in the Heart Walk as a jumpstart to their workplace health and wellness programs.

“If we can create a culture at our companies that promotes health and physical activity, we can save lives and reduce healthcare costs,” Fowler explained.

Fowler’s association with the American Heart Association began in 2004 when she began serving as an ambassador for the Portland area’s “Go Red For Women” movement, aimed at educating women about the devastating impact of heart disease and stroke. Her passion for health and wellness also fuels her commitment to working on healthcare issues as a board member and chair of Oregon Business Council’s Healthcare

Taskforce and board member of The Regence Group and Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon.

PGE has been a sponsor of the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk since 2003 and has consistently been the top fundraising organization. More than 200 PGE employees have turned out for the Heart Walk each year and raised funds totaling more than $142,000 over the past five years (including company match) for cardiovascular education and research.

The Greater Portland Start! Heart Walk will take place on the morning of Sat., May 17, 2008, at the Vera Katz Eastbank Esplanade in Downtown Portland.  To learn more about the American Heart Association and the Start! Heart Walk, visit www.pdxheartwalk.org.

# # #