A look back: Employee of the Year Luncheons #5 and #6

In celebration of the DFW Hospital Council (DFWHC) Foundation’s 20th Annual Employee of the Year Luncheon on April 27 at the Irving Convention Center, we are counting down with detail on previous events.

Employee of the Year Luncheon #1

Employee of the Year Luncheon #2

Employee of the Year Luncheons #3 and #4

Due to the growing popularity of the event, in 2001 the DFWHC Foundation decided to move the Employee of the Year Luncheon from Fall to the Spring so as not to conflict with DFWHC’s historic Annual Awards Luncheon. It was also believed the event should be moved to a central location for convenience to Fort Worth membership, a tradition to present day. So the 5th Annual Luncheon was held May 10, 2001 at the Harvey Hotel in Irving.

The late Denny Fitch served as keynote speaker, a hall of fame pilot and hero of the ill-fated United Airlines Flight 232. In 1988, Fitch was a passenger when he volunteered his services to the crippled flight as it crash landed in Sioux City, Iowa. Fitch plus 183 passengers survived the crash famously caught on film.

Award recipients were Alice “Jenny” Ellis, oncology nurse clinician at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital HEB; Joni Jacobs, executive secretary at All Saints Episcopal Hospital; and Julie Tosh, administrative secretary at Baylor Health Center Irving Coppell.

The 6th Annual Luncheon was held May 16, 2002 at The Harvey Hotel in Irving. Dan Wilford, president of the Memorial Hermann Healthcare System in Houston served as keynote speaker. Wilford discussed the evening of June 8, 2001 when Tropical Storm Allison slammed into Houston, surrounding Memorial Hermann Hospital in a flood 38 feet deep. His insights into the emergency decisions provided insight for area executives on disaster preparedness.

Award recipients were Annette Belanger, nurse at HCA’s Medical City Dallas Hospital; Jennifer Hunter, social services coordinator at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital HEB; and Kevin Buie, MRI technologist at Mesquite Community Hospital.

On April 27, the Employee of the Year Luncheon will honor more than 140 nominees and present 14 separate awards. The luncheon has evolved into a pep rally 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 Sally Williams at swilliams@dfwhcfoundation.org or Chris Wilson at chrisw@dfwhc.org. You can also call 972-719-4900.