Honorees named for inaugural health care awards
CONWAY — The Conway Area Chamber of Commerce has launched a new event to celebrate and recognize health care professionals in the North Metro region.
The North Metro Healthcare Awards luncheon will take place from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. March 28 at the Centennial Valley Country Club events center, 1600 Centennial Club Drive in Conway. The inaugural event is underwritten by Reliance Health Care and honors individuals who are making an impact on the overall health of the community they serve and companies that are dedicated to the health and wellness of their employees. Tickets are $50 and are available at conwaychamber.org.
The chamber accepted nominations in late 2016, and a panel of health care executives from across the country selected the award recipients. The following awards will be given:
Steve Jackson II, a registered nurse, of Arkansas Heart Hospital is the 2017 Nurse of the Year. This award recognizes and honors a nurse in the North Metro area who has shown dedication and commitment to providing exceptional patient care, pursuing excellence in nursing and performing above expectations in the face of adversity.
Dr. John D. Smith of Banister-Lieblong Clinic is the 2017 Physician of the Year. This award, sponsored by Stryker Orthopaedics, recognizes and honors a physician who has used his or her talents and skills to provide exceptional and compassionate care to the North Metro community.
Matt Troup, president and CEO of Conway Regional Health System, is the 2017 Administrator of the Year. This award, sponsored by Edafio Technology Partners, recognizes and honors a member of a health care company’s leadership team in the North Metro area. This professional is dedicated to exceptional organizational quality, empowers his or her team and has a passion for improving the community.
Michael Murry, lead clinical case coordinator for Baptist Health Medical Center-Conway, is the 2017 Healthcare Professional of the Year. This award recognizes and honors an individual whose commitment to excellent service and professional guidance has positively affected the overall quality of health care in the North Metro region.
Acxiom is the 2017 recipient of the Workplace Wellness Award, sponsored by Sam’s Club. This distinction is awarded to an organization that has created and invested in a comprehensive wellness
program for its employees, thereby transforming the culture of health at the company.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s River Valley & Ozark Edition, the media sponsor of the North Metro Healthcare Awards, will profile each of the award winners in its printed newspaper and online at arkansasonline.com/ rivervalley.
In addition to the awards ceremony, the North Metro Healthcare Awards luncheon will feature Arkansas Surgeon General Greg Bledsoe as the keynote speaker. Bledsoe is a board-certified emergency-medicine physician. He is a graduate of the College of Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock and completed his residency in emergency medicine at UAMS.
Bledsoe has provided medical services and expertise around the globe, including in Honduras, Tanzania, Sudan, China, Qatar and Antarctica. Gov. Asa Hutchinson appointed Bledsoe as surgeon general for the state of Arkansas in January 2015.
In addition to individual $50 tickets, tables of eight are available for $400. For more information, contact chief operations officer Ed Linck at ed@conwayarkansas.org or (501) 932-5404.