The Short Biography
Gerhard William (Bill) Hettler III, M.D. was born in 1943 in Alliance, Ohio to Gerhard W. and Jeanne Hettler. The Hettler family moved to Youngstown, Ohio in 1947. Bill is the oldest of three children. Bill's mother was a high school Physical Education teacher and his father was a steel worker with Republic Steel (Later to become LTV Steel).
YMCA Experience
Bill Hettler was an active member of the Youngstown YMCA from age 9 through age 18. He was a member of the YMCA swimming and gymnastics teams. Bill competed in the National YMCA Diving Championships in 1962 and 1963. He was a member of the Junior Leader's Club from 1958 until entering college in 1961.
Education
Bill Hettler attended public schools, kindergarten through high school, in Youngstown, Ohio. After his graduation from South High School in 1961, he entered the premed program at Mount Union College. Bill graduated from Mount Union College in 1965 with a B.S. in chemistry, and minors in religion and philosophy. Following graduation from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in 1969, Bill completed a rotating internship at The Youngstown Hospital Association. During the next two years Bill served as a General Practitioner in the U.S. Air Force.
Employment
Bill Hettler joined the staff of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Health Service in September of 1972. He was appointed director of the Health Service in August of 1977, and has served in that capacity continuously.
Awards and Honors
Bill Hettler has earned numerous awards from various health related organizations.
- 1978 Individual Achievement
Award American Association of Fitness Directors in Business and
Industry
- 1978 Health Enhancement Policy Board YMCA of the USA
- 1983 Health Advocate Award American Occupational Therapy
Association
- 1983 Peter Karpovich Lecture Springfield College
- 1986 YMCA of the USA Medical Advisory Committee
- 1988 Healthy American Fitness Leaders Award
- 1992 Elected Fellow, American College Health Association
- 1992 Special Advisor Presidents Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
- 1996 Elected President of the National Fitness Leaders Association
- American Medical Association Award
- 1986 YMCA of the USA Medical Advisory Committee
National Television
Bill Hettler has served as a consultant to national television shows. He appeared 6 times on "Good Morning America" and twice on the "Hour Magazine". He has also been featured on numerous public television shows.
Bill served as a consultant to Spectrum Films during the production of a movie on changing risky health habits. The movie was released February 1984. Bill is also featured in the movie.
During the past decade Bill has become interested in the use of computers as adjuncts to lifestyle improvement programs. He is currently developing Internet Based interactive computer programs that will assist people who are interested in learning more about self-care.
Teaching Interests
Bill Hettler enjoys teaching at the undergraduate level. He teaches a course entitled "The Healthy American". This course draws about 800 students each semester. Bill also teaches a course entitled, "Asthma Self-Care".
Bill has served as a preceptor for the University of Wisconsin- Madison Physician Assistant Program since 1983.
Bill also serves as a preceptor for the University of Wisconsin- Madison Family Practice Residency program out of Wausau, Wisconsin.
Presentations
Bill Hettler is co-founder and President of the Board of the National Wellness Institute. He is frequently requested to serve as a keynote speaker for national or regional conventions. Bill has served as consultant to groups throughout North America. He has also served groups from Japan, Australia, Germany, England and South Africa.
Hobbies
Bill Hettler enjoys: woodworking, welding, reading, music, photography, dancing, magic and playing with his kids. Bill is an avid parent. He is an advocate for parental involvement in education. He and his wife Carol are actively involved in PTO and PTA activities. Bill coaches youth sports at the local YMCA.
Children
Bill Hettler has two grown children, Toby 24, and Joeli, 28. Bill and his wife Carol Weston have four children.
On Feb. 18th, 1986 Bill and Carol were delighted by the arrival of a son, John. On April 13th, 1987 Bill and Carol were further delighted with the birth of a daughter, Anna. On October 25, 1989 Bill and Carol were even further delighted with the birth of a son, Adam. William Weston (Billy) was born May 17, 1993. Now Bill and Carol are maximally delighted and exhausted.
Computer Interests
Bill Hettler has been involved in the design of computer programs since 1976. He was the original designer of the Lifestyle Assessment Questionnaire. Since 1976 Bill has designed more than 30 computer programs that assist people in making healthy choices. Bill has teamed up with his wife Carol and his brother Bob to develop user friendly software that includes touch screen technology. A partial listing of Hettler-Weston software includes:
Lifestyle Assessment Questionnaire
Compute-A-Life
TestWell
Stress Assess
Why Smoke?
Heart Throb
LifeScan
How Fat?
LiveWell
LifeTime
Less Stress
Lick Salt
Hi! Fiber
Label Game
Health Trak
Right Back
Al-Control
Eating Out
Food Fats
Bill is currently working on computer systems that use the Internet
as one delivery vehicle to reach people with decision support software
for health and medical self-care applications.
Bill and Carol have helped establish computer clubs at 2 local
schools, Washington School and PJ Jacobs Jr. High. Connect to the clubs:
The clubs have had training programs for parents, teachers, and students. Students are learning the basic skills to create posters, documents, and World Wide Web pages.