CHICAGO – LAWFUEL – US Law Firm Network – Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione, one of the largest intellectual property law firms in the U.S., is pleased to announce that it is the first law firm in the metropolitan Chicago area to sign on to Start! with the CEO. Gary M. Ropski, President of Brinks, will join other Chicago-area CEOs in this new American Heart Association program that empowers local corporations to reduce healthcare costs, increase productivity and improve the quality of life and longevity of the U.S. workforce.
“We are excited to participate in the American Heart Association’s Start! Program, which further expresses our commitment to encouraging fitness and well-being throughout the firm and provides me with opportunities to share successes and new ideas with other business leaders,” said Mr. Ropski, the driving force behind the firm’s wellness initiative. “Last fall, Brinks sponsored its first annual “Wellness Week” to promote health and fitness awareness. We will continue to offer useful information and educational programs on living a balanced and healthy lifestyle.”
Launched this year, Start! is the American Heart Association’s (AHA) groundbreaking national walking and nutrition program that calls on all Americans and their employers to create an environment of health and physical activity to live longer, heart-healthy lives. In joining the Start! Program, Brinks has committed to providing a culture that encourages physical fitness, heart-healthy eating and related educational information. The firm offers healthy lunch selections and healthy vending machine snack choices, provides a workout facility that is open to all employees at no cost and promotes participation in a wide range of walks, marathons and exercise programs.
“We believe a healthy and fit workforce will continue to achieve work product excellence in serving the needs of our clients,” said Mr. Ropski, himself an avid athlete. “Brinks is proud to be setting the bar for corporate wellness in metro Chicago.”
Since 1924, the American Heart Association has helped protect people of all ages and ethnicities from the ravages of heart disease and stroke. These diseases, the nation’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers, and other cardiovascular diseases, claim nearly a million American lives a year. The association invested more than $439 million in fiscal year 2003-04 for research, professional and public education, and advocacy so people across America learn what they can do to reduce their risk and live stronger, longer lives. For more information on the Start! program, visit www.americanheart.org or contact the American Heart Association at 312-346-4675.
Founded in 1917, Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione is based in Chicago with four additional offices across the country serving the intellectual property needs of clients from around the world. The firm is one of the largest IP law firms in the country, with more than 150 attorneys, scientific advisors and patent agents specializing in intellectual property litigation and all aspects of patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret, unfair competition, intellectual asset management, and technology and licensing agreements. Brinks routinely handles assignments in fields as diverse as electrical, chemical, mechanical, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, nanotechnology, Internet and computer technology, as well as in trademarks and brand names for a wide variety of products and services. For additional information, visit www.usebrinks.com.
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