Beck Weathers receives a standing ovation at the 1997 luncheon.

With the DFW Hospital Council (DFWHC) Foundation celebrating the 20th anniversary of its Employee of the Year Luncheon on April 27 at the Irving Convention Center, we thought it might be a good time to look back at the very first annual event.

The luncheon was held Nov. 12, 1997 at what was then the Wyndham Anatole Hotel in Dallas. Called the “DFWHC North Central Texas Employee of the Year Luncheon,” three recipients were honored to include Nelda Calleri of Columbia Medical Center of Lewisville, Danny Ruiz of Baylor Medical Center Irving and Vickie L. Waters of Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth.

The keynote speaker was Beck Weathers, a pathologist at Medical City Dallas Hospital who survived the Mt. Everest disaster of 1996 in which eight people were killed by an unexpected storm. Mr. Weathers’ presentation “Surviving Everest against All Odds” received a standing ovation.

Today, the Employee of the Year Luncheon honors 100-plus nominees with 14 awards presented. The luncheon has evolved into a pep rally of sorts for one of the most valuable resources in North Texas – great hospital employees.

You can register for the event here. For more information, please contact swilliams@dfwhcfoundation.org or chrisw@dfwhc.org. You can also call 972-719-4900.

Nelda Calleri (left) and Ray Dunning, Jr.

Danny Ruiz (left) and Jay MacFarland.

Vickie L. Waters (left) and Barclay Berdan.