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Catholic Health East Recognizes Board Members with Annual Excellence in Governance Award

March 10, 2008

NEWTOWN SQUARE, PA – Catholic Health East (CHE) is proud to recognize eight Board of Trustees members with its annual Excellence in Governance Award. This award is presented to individuals who not only provide strong, effective governance, but also embody and actively demonstrate the Mission and Core Values of CHE. Honorees are selected from among the hundreds of board members who serve at CHE health facilities located from Maine to Florida. The awards were presented in a March 6 ceremony at CHE's System Office in Newtown Square, PA.

This year's honorees are: Deacon Dennis R. Ferguson, Mercy Community Health, West Hartford, Conn.; Walter M. Jarrett, M.D., St. Mary's Health Care System, Athens, Ga.; Mary Catherine Karl, BayCare Health System, Clearwater, Fla.; David A. Marley, Sr., Mercy Hospital - Miami; George M. Phillip, St. Peters Healthcare System, Albany, N.Y.; Edward Rodgers, Mercy Health System of Southeastern Pennsylvania; Bruce Simmons, St. Joseph's Health System, Atlanta, Ga.; and David Small, Mercy Health System of Maine.

All awards were presented to the Excellence in Governance honorees by Jacquelyn S. Kinder, Ed.D., Chair of Catholic Health East’s Board of Directors (pictured below with award winners).

Deacon Dennis R. Ferguson, Mercy Community Health

Walter M. Jarrett, M.D., St. Mary's Health Care System

Mary Catherine Karl, BayCare Health System

Edward Rodgers, Mercy Health System of Southeastern PA

David Small, Mercy Health System of Maine

Honorees are nominated by their respective Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and then reviewed by a Governance Committee of the CHE Board of Directors. Nominees must be or have been a Board of Trustees member with a CHE entity for at least two years. Award recipients are judged on specific criteria, including: faithfulness in all board activities to CHE's mission and core values; exercising strategic thinking and visionary leadership; participation in board and committee discussions while maintaining objectivity and constructively challenging other board members and administrators; working collaboratively with sponsors, fellow trustees, management and medical staff; and favorably positioning the organization to the public in an effort to effectively communicate and improve the relationship within the community.

"These individuals exercise strategic thinking and visionary leadership, and have consistently shown dedication to their respective organizations and to the mission and values of Catholic Health East," said Robert V. Stanek, president and CEO of Catholic Health East. "We express our deepest gratitude and appreciation to all of our Board members and especially our honorees for sharing their time and talents in serving our health care ministry."

Honorees each received a certificate and a grant presented to a local community program of his/her choosing. In addition, a plaque commemorating this year's recipients will be placed on permanent display at CHE.

Catholic Health East, a multi-institutional Catholic health system co-sponsored by 10 religious congregations and Hope Ministries, is based in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. Catholic Health East provides the means to ensure the continuation of the Catholic identity and operational strength of the Sponsors' health ministries, which are located in 11 eastern states from Maine to Florida. The system includes 33 acute-care hospitals, four long-term acute-care hospitals, 36 freestanding and hospital-based long-term care facilities, 12 assisted-living facilities, five continuing-care retirement communities, seven behavioral-health and rehabilitation facilities, 25 home health/hospice agencies, and numerous ambulatory and community-based health services. More information is available online at www.che.org.

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