Forrest General Hospital Names Annual Award Winners

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – (December 13, 2024) Forrest General Hospital’s employee, leadership, and physician awards were presented on December 13.

Employees recognized include Forrest General’s We CARE Award recipients, honored for upholding the hospital’s We CARE values, the annual DAISY Award winner, and the 2024 Employee of the Year.

Also honored were the winners of the 19th Annual Dr. Philip W. Rogers Award. The award is named for Dr. Philip W. Rogers, a Hattiesburg Clinic nephrologist, who dedicated 32 years of his life to serving the people of South Mississippi as a physician innovator, leader, mentor, humanitarian, and advocate.

The following is a list of those Forrest General staff members and physicians who were honored as winners during the celebration:

Employee of the Year

  • Celtie Wade, Pine Grove, director of Business Operations

We CARE Awards

  • Eric Chandler, Public Safety
  • Rebekah Denham, RN, 4T
  • Joseph Ladner, Supply Chain
  • Annie Newsome, Same Day Surgery

We CARE Physician Award

  • Richard Calderone, DO, Family Medicine Residency Program

We CARE Leadership Award

  • Hope Jordan, Information Services

Annual DAISY Award

  • Kim Kennedy, RN, Nephrology

Dr. Philip W. Rogers Award Winners

  • Innovator: James York, MD, Radiology
  • Leadership: Petra Schneider-Redden, MD, FACS, Plastic Surgery
  • Mentor: Zach Christ, PSPM, DABR, Cancer Center
  • Humanitarian: Amanda Ladd, FNP, Hospitalist Services
  • Advocate: Brian Rifkin, MD, Nephrology, and Carolyn Woullard, Radiology

Service Awards

Employees who have worked at Forrest General for 30, 35, and 40 years were presented with Service Awards for their dedication to the organization. This group worked a total of 540 years.

40 Years

  • Vance Green, Vice President

35 Years

  • Pamela Knight, Hospice-Home Health
  • Rebecca Payne, Health Information Management
  • Eula Wilson, Surgical Services
  • Rachel Jones, Transfer Center
  • Charon Windham, Surgical Services

30 Years

  • Karen Blanks, HC-Administration & General
  • Elizabeth Boler, Hospice-Administration & General
  • Selina Bolton, 6T, Oncology & Neurology
  • Deidra Dunn, Hospice-Home Health
  • Sheila Gregory, ICU
  • Byron Hall, Bio-Med
  • Kim Helton, Operations Support
  • Kenneth Hendricks, EPIC
  • Richard Oliver, Pine Grove-Administration
  • William Pendergrast, Information Services
  • Joy Pessoney, Pharmacy
  • Charles Pierce, Patient Care Services-Administration
  • Joseph Weems, Cath Lab
  • Andre Williamson, Premium Pool

For more information on Forrest General Hospital and its available services, visit forrestgeneral.org.


Media Contact

All media related inquiries should be directed to Beth Bunch, Media Coordinator, by email or phone at 601-288-1303.

Related Locations

Related Services

Share your experience and write a review!

PRICE TRANSPARENCY · PRIVACY POLICY · NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES · PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST · FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE · NON-DISCRIMINATION NOTICE· NO SURPRISE BILLING RIGHTS · BCBS TRANSPARENCY IN COVERAGE · GOOD FAITH ESTIMATE NOTICE

REQUEST FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR RELEASE OF PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION · HATTIESBURG CLINIC ACO


6051 US HIGHWAY 49, HATTIESBURG MS 39401 · 601-288-7000 · © FORREST HEALTH · ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ·

Employment Policy: It is the policy of Forrest Health to recruit and select candidates for employment without regard to race, color, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity),
religion, national origin, age, disability or other status protected by applicable federal or state statutes.

A Board of Trustees appointed by the Forrest County Board of Supervisors is charged with the oversight of Forrest Health. The system is completely self supporting and does not operate on local taxes.
Forrest Health facilities are approved by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for participation in Medicare and Medicaid Programs.