MADISON, Wis. (April 15, 2026) — Kwik Trip and Sauk Prairie Healthcare received The Alliance’s 2026 Healthcare Transformation Award.
Presented annually by The Alliance Board of Directors, the award recognizes employers, providers and organizations that drive meaningful change in the healthcare marketplace by improving quality, affordability and access.
Kwik Trip was recognized for its innovative approach to health benefits, while Sauk Prairie Healthcare was honored for its leadership and collaboration in healthcare delivery.
Kwik Trip honored for efforts to care for coworkers
While known for its glazers, affordable bananas and welcoming staff, Kwik Trip should also be known for its innovative approach to healthcare.
“Kwik Trip truly cares about the well-being of its coworkers. It’s not just a mission statement,” said Curt Kubiak, president and CEO of The Alliance. “They are constantly working to take their health benefits a step further, improving the lives and health of their coworkers and their families. They show other employers what’s possible when you commit to making a difference.”
The family-owned convenience store chain, with 38,000 employees (or coworkers as Kwik Trip calls them) and more than 900 locations across the Midwest, was recognized for:
- Making care more affordable for coworkers
- Making care more accessible for coworkers
- Strengthening the overall healthcare marketplace
“Taking care of people is rooted in our identity and culture. We take great pride in making our coworkers’ lives better,” said Bryan Trainor, senior manager of talent wellbeing and compensation at Kwik Trip. “That’s why we’re willing to try new things. We’re always asking, ‘What’s the next innovative step we can take to better care for our people?’”
For more about Kwik Trip’s recognition, visit the-alliance.org/news.
Sauk Prairie Healthcare honored for collaboration, high-value care
Sauk Prairie Healthcare, based in Prairie du Sac, Wis., may be a small hospital, but it is making a big impact.
“Sauk Prairie Healthcare exemplifies how a community hospital can lead transformative change in healthcare delivery,” said Curt Kubiak, president and CEO of The Alliance. “Through cost transparency, innovative partnerships and a culture of collaboration, the organization continues to prove that high-quality, affordable healthcare is achievable—one patient, one employer and one community at a time.”
The 37-bed, nonprofit acute care facility in Prairie du Sac was recognized for:
- Leading in high-value care delivery
- Supporting employee well-being
- Embracing collaboration with external partners
“What makes this award so meaningful is that it recognizes transformation driven by collaboration, not competition,” said Shawn Lerch, CEO of Sauk Prairie Healthcare. “As both a healthcare provider and an employer, we understand the system from multiple perspectives, and that has shaped our focus on transparency, navigation and total cost of care. When providers, employers and partners come together with a shared commitment to value, patients and communities truly benefit.”
For more about Sauk Prairie Healthcare’s recognition, visit the-alliance.org/news.
The awards were presented on April 15 at The Alliance 2026 Spring Symposium in Madison, where employers, healthcare professionals and industry leaders gathered to collaborate on improving healthcare and health benefits. Learn more at the-alliance.org.
About The Alliance
The Alliance serves as the voice for self-funded employers who want more control over their healthcare costs. Using Smarter Networks and sophisticated data mining and analysis, they provide transparent, creative approaches to network and benefit plan design to unlock savings where others can’t – or won’t. The Alliance remains a trusted, objective partner for its 500+ employers and their brokers, who seek improved access to high-quality healthcare by contracting with a network of healthcare providers across the Midwest.
Contact:
Craig Sauer
Marketing & Communications Specialist
Phone: 608.210.6638
E-mail: csauer@the-alliance.org
