WALTHAM, Mass., June 22, 2005 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Raytheon Company received a Gold Award today for its commitment to combating obesity and promoting healthy lifestyles for its employees from the National Business Group on Health.

"Raytheon is honored to accept this award," said Keith Peden, Raytheon senior vice president of Human Resources. "We believe that promoting healthy lifestyles for our employees helps to create a healthier, more productive workforce."

Raytheon was among 22 employers who received the "Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles" award at the Obesity Leadership Summit sponsored by the Business Group's Institute on the Costs and Health Effects of Obesity, Tuesday, June 21.

Launched in 2002, the Raytheon Health and Wellness Program focuses on evidence-based programming to reduce health risks by encouraging healthy behaviors including proper nutrition, physical activity, tobacco cessation, stress management, and healthcare consumerism. Raytheon drives a healthy culture by leveraging the expertise of both internal and external partners, providing an integrated and targeted approach to programming. The company's goal is to optimize healthy behaviors and to link those behaviors to an improved health status for employees.

The Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles awards program was created by the Institute on the Costs and Health Effects of Obesity to honor those who recognize the urgent need to improve their workers' health, productivity and quality of life. The underlying goal of the program is to serve as a catalyst to encourage all employers to take action.

Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN), with 2004 sales of $20.2 billion, is an industry leader in defense and government electronics, space, information technology, technical services, and business and special mission aircraft. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 80,000 people worldwide.

  Contact:
   Nick Garrison
   781.522.6490

SOURCE: Raytheon Company

Web site: http://www.raytheon.com/