NAPLES, Fla., February 28, 2023 – Blue Zones Project Southwest Florida announced today that Deb Logan, Executive Director, will retire from the company as of March 3, 2023. Megan Greer, currently serving as Worksite and Policy Lead will create a smooth transition into the Executive Director position.

“It cannot be overstated how significant an impact Deb Logan has made on Blue Zones Project and our entire Southwest Florida community over the past 9 years as Executive Director,” said Paul Hiltz, President & CEO, NCH and sponsor of Blue Zones Project Southwest Florida. “Deb is a visionary leader who has dedicated her career to elevating health and wellness in our community. With her leadership, we have built and continue to build well-being infrastructure that promotes living long, better, now and for generations to come.”

Logan began her career with NCH in 1985, working in nutrition and wellness during the first 17 years of her career and was pleased to return for an additional 9 years to lead Blue Zones Project. She was named to the 2020 class of Modern Healthcare’s Top 25 Innovators. This prestigious recognition acknowledges and honors individuals who championed scalable solutions that are being used to reshape the industry in big and small ways. In addition, she was named in 2022 and 2023 Naples Top 100 Leaders as well as awarded the Bob Kane Passion and Purpose Award for her tireless dedication by Sharecare Blue Zones Project.

Logan shares, “It has been an absolute pleasure to work with NCH, community champions, and every organization and individual who says “yes” to well-being. Together, WE achieved making SWFL the first Certified Blue Zones Community in the Southeast! I am so proud of our community which intentionally came together to help make healthy choices easier where we all live, work, learn and play.”

“All of this would not have been possible without an innovative and supportive local and central Sharecare team, said Logan. My most sincere gratitude goes to NCH President & CEO Paul Hiltz as well as his team and Board of Trustees. I am also grateful for NCH predecessor Dr. Allen Weiss for bringing Blue Zones Project to SWFL. A healthcare system that cares enough to want to keep us out of the hospital, is a system that has a lot of heart!”

Megan Greer joined the Blue Zones Project SWFL team in 2019. She has served as Worksite and Policy Lead helping local worksites develop and implement healthier worksite well-being best practices and aiding in the adoption of 62 municipal policies focused on built environment, tobacco, and food systems. She assisted in the creation of the SWFL Food Policy Council. Its collaborations have resulted in $1.2 million in grant funding to support the local food system and healthy food access. She is passionate about building health equity and accessibility at all cross sections of our community. She is currently finishing her Master’s in Public Administration at FGCU.

“Deb Logan is a transformational leader, mentor, and visionary whose steadfast work ethic led us to our goal of becoming a certified Blue Zones community. I am honored to carry on with the vision, strategy, and wholehearted leadership that Logan has built with our team and partners. We are aligned to continue to support the health and resiliency of our community.”

Logan adds, “I am thrilled to pass the torch to Megan Greer so that she can take well-being sustainability to the next level! Megan is exceptionally competent and talented.”

BLUE ZONES PROJECT SOUTHWEST FLORIDA ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

Between 2015-2022, under the leadership of Deb Logan, Blue Zones Project Southwest Florida has helped transform attitudes, behavior, and impact around community well-being. Her legacy is meaningful and significant. A snapshot of the results includes the following:

• $241.2 million in total community well-being value
• $190.2 million in healthcare and workforce productivity savings
• $15.3 million grant funding generated
• 62 policies to improve the existing built environment, reduce tobacco use and increase healthy food access
• Exponential Community Collaboration: involving 275,000 people, over 800 organizations and 15,000 volunteer hours

For more information about the Blue Zones Project in Southwest Florida, visit southwestflorida.bluezonesproject.com.

About Blue Zones Project

Blue Zones Project® is a community-led well-being improvement initiative designed to make healthy choices easier through permanent changes to a city's environment, policy, and social networks. Blue Zones Project is based on research by Dan Buettner, a National Geographic Fellow and New York Times best-selling author who identified five cultures of the world—or blue zones —with the highest concentration of people living to 100 years or older. Blue Zones Project incorporates Buettner's findings and works with cities to implement policies and programs which will move a community toward optimal health and well-being. Currently, more than 70 communities across North America have joined Blue Zones Project, impacting more than 4.5 million citizens. The population health solution includes two Health Districts in California; 15 cities in Iowa; Albert Lea, Minnesota; the city of Fort Worth, Texas; Corry, Pennsylvania; Brevard, North Carolina; and communities in Southwest Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Wisconsin. Blue Zones Project is a partnership between Blue Zones, LLC, and Sharecare, Inc. For more information, visit bluezonesproject.com.