Area hospital employees awarded at April 27 Luncheon

Kristin Jenkins (left) with Volunteer of the Year Anna Mae Walter.

A salute to the North Texas hospital workforce, the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council Foundation’s (DFWHC Foundation) 20th Annual Employee of the Year Luncheon was held April 27 at the Irving Convention Center. More than 700 attendees turned out to honor 139 nominees and 14 announced winners from a pool of 57 area hospitals.

“The participation this year was overwhelming,” said Kristin Jenkins, president of the DFWHC Foundation. “It is such a gratifying experience to honor and perhaps inspire these great hospital employees. For two decades, the goal of this luncheon has been to make a difference by helping to boost morale in our hospitals, improve quality of care, quality of life and recognize the importance of each individual. Every nominee, the best of the best of North Texas, deserved to be recognized.”

Derreck Kayongo, the founder of the Global Soap Project and CEO of the Center for Civil and Human Rights, served as keynote speaker in support of the event’s theme “Do Great Things!” Kayongo discussed his youth in Uganda before settling in the U.S. at the age of 10. His Global Soap Project takes donated, melted and purified hotel soap and redistributes it to vulnerable populations around the world.

“In the U.S., you don’t realize how lucky you are to have daily access to soap,” Kayongo said. “Such a quality of life does not exist in other countries. You would be amazed how much sickness and disease could be avoided by simply having a bar of soap to wash your hands with on a daily basis.”

One of the highlights of the luncheon was the presentation of the Volunteer of the Year Award to Anna Mae Walter of Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Denton. The 98 year-old volunteer has been working at the hospital for more than 15 years.

Lillie Biggins, president of Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth and chair of DFWHC, and Harvey Fishero, chair of the DFWHC Foundation, served as masters of ceremonies.

Additional recipients included:

Rex McRae Scholarship
• Grant Stephens, Methodist Mansfield Medical Center/El Centro College

Nurse Preceptor Award
• Jeff McKee, Registered Nurse, HCA’s Medical Center of Lewisville

Physician Award
• Dr. Alan Taylor, Methodist Mansfield Medical Center

Community Service Award
• Jenny Reynolds, Advanced Clinical Specialist, Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation

System Award
• David Murphy, Physician Services Associate, Children’s Health System

Special Recognition Awards
• Esther Flores, Revenue Cycle Specialist, Baylor Jack and Jane Hamilton Heart and Vascular Hospital
• Nhor Nhoy, Registered Nurse, Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southwest Fort Worth
• Amy Davis, Occupational Therapist, Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital
• Gwen Johnson, Registered Nurse/Care Transitions Manager, Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth

Employee of the Year Awards
• Jennifer Bullock, Physical Therapist, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Allen
• Gary Gulledge, Unit Secretary, Tenet’s Doctors Hospital at White Rock Lake
• Linda Hastings, Executive Assistant, HCA’s Plaza Medical Center of Fort Worth
• Deanna Lusty, Physical Therapist, Children’s Health System

Board members of the Dallas-Fort Worth Healthcare Human Resources Association judged nominations on April 12. Individual and hospital names were removed in advance and selections were based entirely on the facts presented within the form letter. Nominees were separated into four categories of hospitals between 1-99 beds, 100-250 beds, 251-499 beds and more than 500 beds.

Photographs by Jerry McClure