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

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – (December 9, 2016) Forrest General’s top employee, leadership and physician awards were presented on December 9 at the hospital’s annual Employee Christmas Party.

Employees recognized during the event included Forrest General’s We C.A.R.E. Award recipients, 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 2016 employee of the year, Ramona Ridley.

Also honored were the four winners of the 9th 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 star-studded celebration:

Employee of the Year

• Ramona Ridley, RPT, Outpatient Rehabilitation

We C.A.R.E. Awards

• Earl Thornsberry, Jr. - Pharmacy
• Matthew Bush, Marketing and Communications
• Jaime Massie, RT, Respiratory Therapy
• Carrie Robinson, RN, 4T/Telemetry

We C.A.R.E. Physician Award

• Calvin Washington, M.D., Hospice

We C.A.R.E. Leadership Award

• Cecilia Baker, Registration Manager in Outpatient Registration

Philip Rogers Award Winners

• Leadership: Anita S. Henderson, MD, Pediatrics, The Pediatric Clinic of Hattiesburg Clinic
• Innovator: Sanjay Derhgawen, MD, Nephrology, Hattiesburg Clinic, PA
• Mentor: Virginia Jones, Director, Pine Grove Patient Care Services, Pine Grove Behavioral Health and Addiction Services
• Humanitarian: Joseph Jody J. Patterson, MD, Emergency Medicine, South Mississippi Emergency Physicians, PA

Service Awards (30 Years)

• Betty Arledge, RRT, Respiratory Therapy                                  
• Cathy Caldwell, Engineering                                           
• Jeanne Carlson, LiveWell                                    
• Sarah Cooley, 4FB - Post Partum                                   
• Melvin Courtney, Remodeling                                          
• Angela Eaton, RRT, Respiratory Therapy                                                        
• Barbara Gordon, Radiology – Admin                             
• Paula Green, Patient Care Services – Admin                   
• Judy Heintz, Surgical Services                             
• Elizabeth Merrill, RN, 7T – Medical Surgical
• Billie Piercy, Pine Grove Admissions
• Teresia Ray, Neurology Center
• Charles Smith, Surgical Services
• Susan Styron, Catheterization Laboratory
• Phyllis Tolar, RN, Surgical Services

Service Awards (35 Years)

• Faye Alvarez, Pharmacy
• Carol Brolaski, Epic
• Gwen Ellzey, RRT, LiveWell                     
• David Herrin, Epic
• Mary Hopkins, Pine Grove Psych
• Susan Jett McCall, Pine Grove Marketing
• Frances McManus, Pine Grove Psych
• Mary Purvis, Patient Care Services – Admin

Service Awards (40 Years)

• Diane Bailey, Epic
• Vicki Lee, Respiratory Therapy
• Ora Shaheed, Chief Clinical Operations, Operations Support 

Pictured: Employee of the Year, Ramona Ridley, Outpatient Rehabilitation