Award Winners Named during Forrest General’s Annual Employee Christmas Party

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – (December 11, 2015) Forrest General’s top employee, leadership and physician awards were presented on December 11 at the hospital’s annual Employee Christmas Party.

Employees recognized during the event included Forrest General’s We C.A.R.E. Award recipients, who were honored for upholding the hospital’s We C.A.R.E. philosophy; Service Award recipients, who were recognized for years of service to the organization; and the 2015 Employee of the Year, Russell Dykes, pictured above. 

Also honored were the four winners of the 8th Annual Philip Rogers Quality Award. The award is named for Dr. Philip Rogers, a nephrologist with Hattiesburg Clinic, who dedicated 32 years of his life to serving the people of South Mississippi as a physician, mentor and humanitarian. Dr. Rogers, Forrest General’s first nephrologist, was known as a kind-hearted, brilliant physician and great medical staff leader and was greatly admired and respected for his commitment to his patients and the medical field. Four recipients, each influential and important members of Hattiesburg’s medical community, were announced during the presentation and honored for their roles as a humanitarian, innovator, leader or mentor.

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

• Russell Dykes (Pine Grove)

We C.A.R.E. Awards

• Becky Pardue, Hospice
• Kacy Lassere, Epic
• Tim McWilliams, R.Ph., Employee Pharmacy
• Laine Jackson, Food and Nutrition

We C.A.R.E. Physician Award

• Neal Holm, M.D., General Surgery

We C.A.R.E. Leadership Award

• Jennifer Easley, Director of Food and Nutrition Services

Philip Rogers Award Winners

• Leadership: Richard Clatterbuck, M.D., Hattiesburg Clinic Spine Center, Neurosurgery
• Innovator: Kristi Nesler, Clinical Coordinator, Forrest General Pharmacy
• Mentor: A.J. Jackson, M.D., Physician Advisor for Forrest General Case Management
• Humanitarian: Hilton L. Gillespie, Jr., M.D., Hattiesburg Clinic, P.A.- Obstetrics and Gynecology

Service Awards (30 Years)

• Verna Felts, Emergency Services
• Tammy Franklin, Highland Community Hospital-Hospice Pharmacy
• Josie McKorkle, Case Management
• Mary Mihalik, Highland Community Hospital- Skilled Nursing
• Valinda Murphy, Labor and Delivery
• Brenda Parks, Admissions-Discharge
• Lisa Shelton, Highland Community Hospital-Admin and General
• Sheila Smith, Family Birthplace- 4FB/Post Partum

Service Awards (35 Years)

• Rita Ashley, Epic
• Beverly Bryant, Pine Grove Specialty Programs
• Mary Clark, Epic
• Arvie Fenner, Health Information Management
• James Graves, Environmental Services
• Virginia Jones, Pine Grove-Administration
• Nancy Pack, Emergency Services
• Earnestine Taylor, Respiratory Therapy

Service Awards (40 Years)

• Sandra Cochran, Radiology-Administration
• Elease Godbolt, Same Day Surgery
• Michael Harris, Laboratory