A salute to the North Texas hospital workforce, the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council (DFWHC) Foundation’s 21st Annual Employee of the Year Luncheon was held April 21 at the Hurst Conference Center. More than 700 attendees turned out to honor 135 nominees and 15 announced winners from a pool of 57 area hospitals.

“We appreciate the opportunity to honor these great North Texas hospital employees,” said Kristin Jenkins, president of the DFWHC Foundation. “The goal of this luncheon is to make a difference in the quality of care by helping to boost morale in our hospitals and recognize the importance of each employee. Every nominee, the best of the best of North Texas, deserved to be recognized. We applaud each of them.”

Chef Jeff Henderson served as keynote speaker in support of the theme “Don’t Stop Believing in the Power of You!” Henderson discussed his prison incarceration as a youth where he learned the unlikely talent for cooking. Today, he is an award-winning chef, bestselling author and Food Network Television star.

“My mission is to get you to understand the power of your potential,” Henderson said. “It is a process. We are born with it. Every one of you are aware of that power of potential or you would not be here today.”

Brett Lee, chief executive officer of Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Lake Pointe and chair of DFWHC, and Harvey Fishero, chair of the DFWHC Foundation, served as masters of ceremonies.

One of the highlights was the Community Service Award presented to Karen Mynar, a trauma injury prevention coordinator at Baylor University Medical Center. Following the police officer shootings in Dallas in 2016, Mynar personally worked to obtain funding to supply all 350 DART police officers with tourniquets and taught them how to properly use to control traumatic bleeding. She received a standing ovation.

Additional recipients included:

Rex McRae Scholarship
• Kirsten Williams, Methodist Mansfield Medical Center/El Centro College

Nurse Preceptor Award
• Robert Merryfield, Registered Nurse, Medical City Plano

Physician Award
• Dr. Dustin Corgan, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Waxahachie

Volunteer Award
• Sam Lynne, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Carrollton
• Linda Jackson, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Denton

System Award
• Rebecca Byrd, Human Resources Generalist, Methodist Medical Group

Special Recognition Awards
• Malinda Mullins, Pharmacy Technician, Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Stephenville
• Joanie Sackett, Patient Experience Coordinator, Medical City Denton
• Annie Jones, Licensed Vocational Nurse, Methodist Charlton Medical Center
• Andy McGarrahan, Psychologist, Children’s Health System

Employee of the Year Awards
• Kimberly Wallace, Sterile Processing Technician, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Sunnyvale
• Romona Jackson-Echols, Access Services Representative, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Irving
• Gloria Daki, Cashier, Methodist Mansfield Medical Center
• Alicia Coomes, Registered Nurse Health Coach, JPS Health Network

Board members of the Dallas-Fort Worth Healthcare Human Resources Association judged nominations on April 3. 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 including 1-99 beds, 100-250 beds, 251-499 beds and 500-plus beds.

Top sponsors of the event were Hall Render, CampbellWilson, LLP, Perkins + Will, Baylor Scott & White Health, Cook Children’s and Texas Health Resources.

The DFWHC Foundation is a non-profit 501c3 public charity with a mission to serve as a catalyst for continual improvement in community health and healthcare delivery through education, research, communication and collaboration.