The Acadia Parish Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce Claire Kelbaugh of Sterling Wellness Solutions has been selected as the Business Person of the Year for 2021.
Born and raised in Crowley, Claire has devoted the past 20 years building Sterling Wellness Solutions to the successful business it is today. What started on a patio of her home is now a thriving wellness company that many in Acadia Parish have probably never heard of. Along with her husband Keeffer, Claire founded Sterling Wellness Solutions in 2001 in their New Orleans home. Building on her experience as an Employee Benefits consultant, Claire began the company with the principle of helping save lives, improve quality of life, and reduce health care costs for the people they serve.
Sterling Wellness Solutions is a national wellness and health management company that works with employers to reduce healthcare costs by taking a preventative approach to the employees’ health and lifestyle. Utilizing health screening, coaching and an innovative education program focusing on well-being and chronic disease management, Sterling prides themselves on the customer service they provide. In fact, the very first client of Sterling Wellness remains a loyal client to this day. Employees in the wellness program are incentivized to practice healthy living, a method developed by Claire. They serve large employers ranging from 200 to 15,000 employees in over 40 states across the U.S.
Not only is Claire passionate about her clients and providing positive health outcomes, she is equally as passionate about the people working alongside her. With a growing staff of more than 130 in various states, Sterling promotes a team environment that allows employees to flourish and feel celebrated in their successes. They ‘practice what they preach’ by creating a healthy workplace an an environment to practice self-care. Through the COVID-19 pandemic, employees traditionally housed in the Crowley headquarters location were allowed to work remotely. This effort brought increased employee productivity and engagement. As the pandemic wanes, employees are now allowed a permanent option for remote work. Investing in their employees, their team regularly engages in company outings and professional development creating a positive work environment.
Though growing a large company, the Kelbaughs remain very active in the community. Claire played a key role in organizing and creating the inaugural Notre Dame High School ‘Drop the Mic’ fundraiser. Sterling Wellness is a top supporter of Greetings From Levy Park where many Sterling employees can be seen. They are members of St. Michael’s Catholic Church and the Crowley Art Association. As active members of the Acadia Parish Chamber, Sterling has hosted Business After Hours and supported numerous Chamber activities. As industry leaders, they are members of the Wellness Council of America and the National Wellness Institute, regularly speaking at industry conferences and programs.
Claire is married to Keeffer Kelbaugh. They have two children, Andrus and Keeffer Jr. Together, they reside in rural Acadia Parish.
About the Acadia Parish Honors
The Acadia Parish Chamber of Commerce will host the Acadia Parish Honors, our Annual Banquet and Awards Ceremony, on Thursday, May 20, 2021. The event will take place from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Grand Opera House of the South in Crowley.
The Chamber will award several individuals for their contributions to our community. Business Person of the Year, Humanitarian of the Year, and Acadia Parish’s Outstanding Young Citizens will be honored as well. Current and outgoing Chamber Board Members and Chairman will also be recognized for their efforts.
The Acadia Parish Honors is open to the public. Guests will arrive at 6:00 pm for a cocktail and social hour while having the opportunity to bid on silent auction items. At 7:00 pm dinner will be served by Fezzo’s Seafood & Steakhouse. Tickets are $50, which includes dinner & drinks, and may be purchased on our website at AcadiaParishChamber.org or by calling 337-788-0177.
