Northeast Delta Dental Has the Running Bug, Thanks To Its CEO
Tom Raffio has embraced running to connect his company with the community, raise money for charities and promote wellness.
Tom Raffio has embraced running to connect his company with the community, raise money for charities and promote wellness.
You’ve long had a personal love of running. What makes this activity special for you?
Running is pure joy, especially experiencing the camaraderie and support of other runners, having family members running with you, or cheering for you; being able to say thank you to volunteers. Pure joy in a world of noise and stress. Also, road races generally provide opportunities to raise funds for worthy charities and educational opportunities on the importance of oral health.
What race have you been most proud to complete?
I have completed the Delta Dental Mount Washington Road Race 10 times (running up the Auto Road), three times under 2 hours, which is the most compelling race that I’ve finished.
Do you have a favorite course?
Four come to mind: The Angels 5k race at Merrimack Valley High School, a race that I was the first male finisher back in 2010, in a time of 20.33. This race is also compelling because it recognizes children (and now adult loved ones) who have passed away. The second one is the Delta Dental New England Half Marathon, a beautiful half-marathon course that goes from Hopkinton to Concord in the fall. Beautiful scenery. The third one is the Beach to Beacon 10k in Cape Elizabeth, which I have run every August for many years. Again, beautiful scenery. Fourth, I’d like to highlight our newly USATF-certified Delta Dental 5K course in Concord. Our organization manages and sponsors its own races to benefit local charities and foster community connection.
What spurred you to connect Northeast Delta Dental with sponsoring running events?
I learned that sponsoring (and participating in) running events is an opportunity to promote wellness and population health, plus the importance of oral health. As importantly, NEDD’s sponsorships enable the recipient charity to raise more money for its cause, as Northeast Delta Dental pays for the timing or other road race infrastructure expenses. It’s a great symbiotic relationship — supporting charities (oral health and non-oral health related) while promoting wellness and population health.
Can you explain what “Miles with a Mission” is and why you implemented it for Delta Dental employees?
Miles with a Mission is a program where NEDD is able to combine promoting employee health and wellness with our commitment to the community. Through Miles with a Mission, we hold a virtual 5K each month, and for each employee and plus one who participates, $10 is donated to nonprofit organizations throughout Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont that have been nominated by our employees. There is a departmental challenge where the department with the highest participation over the course of the year earns the coveted trophy and bragging rights.
How does support of these programs fit in with Delta Dental’s mission to provide “the highest quality dental and wellness benefits solutions”?
The program helps us practice what we preach — promoting employee health and wellness as one part of the overall wellness package. Employees rally around the program, promoting their favorite organizations, and competing for the trophy. This is just one example of programs we employ to help to keep our employees happy and engaged, and happy and engaged employees help us deliver high-quality customer service and overall plan management.
You’ve met hundreds of different runners through these events and profiled many of them in your book, “Stories from the Starting Line.” Do they share any commonalities beyond a love of running?
While we gather for our shared love of running, this group is about so much more than that. We are a community that truly cares for one another and looks forward to seeing each other every weekend at races. We take great pride in everyone’s achievements and consistently cheer each other on. We are also fortunate to have elite athletes who help set the tone for our events. For example, at my last race, Millennium’s St. Paddy’s 5k/10k, Nick Gosling was running at a 5:39 pace. Even as he was about to win the 10k race and set a new personal record, he thoughtfully gave me a quick clap as he raced by on his second lap while I was finishing my first. I was thrilled to see him as the lead runner, as he is such a cherished member of our community.
Do you have any advice for runners as a new season begins?
The best advice for a new runner is simply to get started. The running community is incredibly welcoming and offers a great way to stay fit and meet new friends. You can find partners who share your pace or choose to run solo and connect with others at races. There are also many local running groups in the area that would be happy to have you join them with weekly runs and races.
