Nation's Top Employers Share Strategies to Improve Employee Well-Being While Reducing Health Care Spending at Walgreens Second Annual Employer Health and Wellness Executive Client Forum

CHICAGO, April 30, 2012 - Benefits leaders from large employers are coming together today to discuss best practices to reverse the upward trend of health care costs for employers while improving employee well-being at the second annual Walgreens (NYSE:WAG)(NASDAQ:WAG) Employer Executive Client Forum. The two-day event in Chicago will feature presentations and panel discussions with Walgreens executives and benefits leaders at numerous top employers who work with Walgreens and its subsidiaries to offer pharmacy, health and wellness services to their employees.

Representatives from organizations who collectively employ more than 1 million workers will participate in activities such as:

• Sessions on utilizing incentive programs to engage employees and gain loyalty, led by BP America.
• Panel presentations on best practices in employer health center operations with participation from Walt Disney World Resort, Cardinal Health and Sanofi-Aventis.
• Addresses on innovations in payment models and analytics to better manage population health by David Wennberg MD, MPH, CEO, Northern New England Accountable Care Collaborative, and on Walgreens vision for pharmacy, health and wellness by Jeff Kang, MD, MPH, senior vice president of Walgreens health and wellness services and solutions group.

“Because of Walgreens extensive network of pharmacy, health and wellness assets, we’re able to interact with some of the nation’s most innovative employers and benefits experts as they take steps to seize on health care opportunities that benefit their employees and produce ROI for their organizations,” said Peter Hotz, Walgreens group vice president and president of Take Care Health Systems. “By initiating a forum where our clients are actively engaged in sharing best practices and experiences, we can create an idea exchange with some of the best benefits thinkers in America that can pay dividends for employers and their employees throughout the nation.”

A number of Walgreens client who will be in attendance have already been recognized as some of the nation’s best employers. Cisco, and Qualcomm are each ranked in the top 100 best organizations to work for in the United States by Fortune Magazine. Cardinal Health, HP, Boehringer Ingelheim, Campbell Soup Company and General Dynamics Electric Boat have all been recognized as the best employers for healthy lifestyles by the National Business Group on Health.

Employers seeking additional information on Walgreens employer pharmacy, health and wellness services can reach out to solutions@walgreens.com

About Walgreens

As the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2011 sales of $72 billion, Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) vision is to become America’s first choice for health and daily living. Each day, Walgreens provides nearly 6 million customers the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and advice in communities across America. Walgreens scope of pharmacy services includes retail, specialty, infusion, medical facility and mail service, along with respiratory services. These services improve health outcomes and lower costs for payers including employers, managed care organizations, health systems, pharmacy benefit managers and the public sector. The company operates 7,847 drugstores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Take Care Health Systems is a Walgreens subsidiary that is the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health and wellness centers and in-store convenient care clinics, with more than 700 locations throughout the country.

Walgreen Co. Corporate Communications
Gabe Weissman, (484) 351-3040
http://news.walgreens.com