Onsite Operators Win Premier Alliance Awards

The Premier healthcare alliance has announced winners of the 2010 Illuminating Excellence Award, which recognizes accomplishments and improvements in foodservice operations.

The 2010 Illuminating Excellence Award winners are…

• Lisette Coston, director of food and nutrition services at Saint Francis Health System, Tulsa, OK J.

• Kevin Hart, director of operations and foodservice at Salem Senior Housing, Winston-Salem, NC

• Deon Lategan, director of residential dining services at Colorado State University.

“We honor the 2010 Illuminating Excellence Award winners for achieving sustained improvements in facility operations including concrete factors such as satisfaction scores and documented budgetary cost savings,” says Debby Kasper, RD, LD, Premier manager of Clinical Nutrition. “These executives are improving foodservice offerings in their facilities and enhancing the foodservice experience.”

The awards were presented at Premier’s annual Foodservice Forum, held in conjunction with its 2010 Annual Breakthroughs Conference and Exhibition, which drew more than 3,500 healthcare system and supplier attendees to Washington, June 8-11.

Finalists considered for the award were…

• Sue Alfrets, foodservice director at White Memorial Medical Center, Los Angeles;

• Tonya Burnett, director of nutrition services at St. Rita’s Medical Center, Lima, OH;

• Cheryl Chase, foodservice director at Sheyenne Care Center, Valley City, ND;

• Tim Cooper, executive chef at Birchaven Retirement Village in Findlay, OH;

• Helene Gruber, director of nutrition services at St. Elizabeth Healthcare, Edgewood, KY;

• Karen Klinkner, director of nutrition services at Avera Queen of Peace Hospital, Mitchell, SD;

• Andre Mallie, executive director of auxiliary services at the University of San Diego;

• Dave Nirenberg, director of commercial services at Cal State University of Channel Islands;

• William Park, director/executive chef at Greater Rochester (NY) Chapter of the American Red Cross;

• Cheryl Shimmin, director of nutrition services at Kettering Medical Center, Dayton, OH;

• Robert Toth, foodservice director at Saint Camillus Health Center, Whitinsville, MA.

The Premier Illuminating Excellence Award recognizes accomplishments and improvements in operations, including: patient/resident/student satisfaction scores; documented cost savings; activities that support the values and mission of the organization; participation in the Premier alliance; professional and community activities; and personal achievements in the last year.

Additional information can be found at www.premierinc.com/about/news/awards/index.jsp.