The Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council (DFWHC) announced today Jyric Sims, chief executive officer at Medical City Fort Worth, will be the 2018 Young Healthcare Executive of the Year; and Jim L. Turner, former chair of the Baylor Scott & White Health Board of Trustees, will be the 2018 Kerney Laday, Sr. Trustee of the Year. The awards will be presented during DFWHC’s 70th Annual Awards Luncheon on October 17.

The Young Healthcare Executive of the Year honor acknowledges youthful professionals who display the impressive abilities of future North Texas leaders. Created in 2005, nominees must be 40 years of age or younger and employed by a DFWHC-member hospital. The Trustee of the Year honor was named in memory of Kerney Laday, Sr., who served on the Texas Health Resources Board for a decade. He was chair when he passed away in 2012. The award was created in 2013 to honor trustees who have displayed uncommon excellence over the course of their careers.

“Every year, this is a difficult decision preceded by intense discussion between members of the DFWHC Board of Trustees,” said W. Stephen Love, president/CEO of DFWHC. “When noting the career highlights of Jyric Sims and Jim L. Turner, it was evident they were inspired and motivated to make a difference in North Texas healthcare. As with all the nominees, they displayed uncommon leadership and inventive recommendations. Our community is blessed to have such promising leaders so dedicated to the mission of serving others.”

Since June 2017, Sims has served as chief executive officer of the Medical City Healthcare hospital Medical City Fort Worth, a 320-bed medical center that includes an ambulatory surgery center, an off-campus emergency room, more than 1,200 employees and a graduate medical education program. During his career, he has received numerous accolades including the 2017 National Healthcare Executive of the Year by the National Association of Healthcare Executives and the 2016 Modern Healthcare Up and Comer. He was appointed to serve on a national delegation to Israel and he serves on the Louisiana State University National Diversity Advisory Board and is an adjunct faculty member at Tulane University School of Public Health.

Turner was chair of the board of trustees of Baylor Scott & White Health from 2015-2018 and continues to serve on the board today. As the former chair of Baylor Health Care System, he was instrumental in the system’s significant 2013 merger with Scott and White of Temple, Texas. He is the principal stockholder and chair of JLT Beverages, LP, and was recognized with the two of the industry’s most coveted awards: “Man of the Year” from Beverage Industry and the Beverage World’s “Hall of Fame” Award. Turner is also minority owner of the Texas Rangers professional baseball team and an ownership partner of the Dallas Wings professional women’s basketball team.

In addition to Sims, Young Healthcare nominees included Kyle Armstrong, president/CEO at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center McKinney; Brandie Meyer, vice president of strategic integration at Texas Health Resources; and Nkem Okafor, system vice president of strategy and service lines at Methodist Health System.

Sims and Turner will be presented their awards during DFWHC’s 70th Annual Awards Luncheon, October 17 at the Arlington Convention Center. Alan Simpson, the spirited politician who served as U.S. Senator of Wyoming for two decades, will serve as keynote speaker while Charlie Powell, chairman of the board of JPS Health Network, will receive the Distinguished Health Service Award. The event is sponsored in part by Hall Render and CampbellWilson, LLP.

For information, contact Chris Wilson at chrisw@dfwhc.org or 972-719-4900.