Daron Shepard

I have spent thirty years developing and managing processes designed to empower human performance and development. Following graduation from Bucknell University, I pursued a master’s degree in exercise physiology at Penn State University and worked as an assistant strength and conditioning coach and as a Resident Assistant. Following jobs with Chemical Bank and PepsiCo, where I worked in their in-house corporate wellness centers, I co-founded Pro-Fitness Health Solutions (PFHS). Our vision was to “Optimize HOPE – Human and Organizational Performance through Empowerment”. PFHS created healthy corporate cultures by developing and managing “in house” occupational health clinics, fitness centers and wellness centers. We provided services to millions of employees, retirees and dependents at clients such as AT&T, Blue Cross, Chevron, General Electric, General Motors, Hartford Insurance, Hertz, Mercedes Benz, Merrill Lynch, Michelin, Nortel, NYNEX, NYMEX, New York Times, Oxford Health, Pitney Bowes, Raytheon, Saab, Texaco, United Technologies and Wells Fargo. In 2004 I retired from the day- to- day operations of PFHS to explore the field of mental and emotional health. My research included participating in the country’s leading human development and performance seminars and workshops; obtaining a master’s degree in community counseling at Fairfield University; completing a nine month practicum/internship as a therapist in an urban-based community agency in Bridgeport, CT; training as a Life Coach; and developing and facilitating a process called STEP UP - Strive To Empower Personal Utmost Performance. I also spent time serving on several Corporate Boards; coaching football at New Canaan High School; working as an instructor with Upward Bound; and counseling and coaching individual clients. In December 2007, I sold PFHS to I-Trax, a publicly traded health care company, which was then acquired by Take Care Health, a division of Walgreens. My son David and I continue to provide STEP UP workshops and recently launched STEP UP Real Estate Development Company which specializes in buying and rehabbing distressed properties and then providing ownership opportunities for first time home owners. I reside in New Canaan, CT with my wife Lisa, a registered dietician with the Stamford Hospital’s Bennett Cancer Center, and our four children, David, Elizabeth, Jennifer and Michael.