As founder and CEO of Perry Wellness Center, Stuart Perry has learned an important lesson: peer leadership begins with his own example. While he is proud to have a dedicated staff and many peer volunteers, he knows that planning and delegation can’t be the only tools in his management “tool box.”

Stuart established Perry Wellness Center as part of his own journey to recovery. It was founded on the principle of peers leading peers. Because of his own battle with depression, Stuart claims the title of “peer” with pride.

With that title comes his expectation that he should be willing to pitch in as needed. He spends much of his time in planning, public outreach, and administrative tasks, but hsi heart lies in coaching others, whether in sports or life lessons. One important task of any coach is serving as a role model.

So it is not unusual to find Stuart pushing a lawn mower or filling a cooler. Recently, he took on the task of helping unload some of the 8600 watermelons that were donated to PWC. As pictured above, he carried freshly picked Chase corn to a cooler.

For those who think the work life of a CEO is all business lunches and fundraisers, stop by Perry Wellness Center to see peer leadership in action.