MCHD Employee of the Month
June - None recognized due to PHI Med12 Accident
May 2008 -
April 2008 - Cindy Kennedy
Supervisor
March 2008 - Jodie Fullwood
Paramedic
In January, Jodie dedicated much effort into coordinating fund raising for the family of a fellow public servant that was tragically killed in an off-duty accident. She also arranged for flower and an ambulance for the funeral procession. The officer’s wife was critically injured as well. They have a 10 year old son. While Jodie did not know the officer personally, she worked very hard to help gather donations from fellow employees at MCHD to show that we care and want to help another in our public safety family. Jodie's belief in helping others is what we should all strive for. We are a family that helps and serve the citizens of Montgomery County. Jodie took time out of her busy life to help another family in need. She is what our Core Values are all about.
We all have busy lives and take it for granted that someone else will be a leader and get things done. Jodie is always willing to help others now and in the past. Thanks Jodie for having the compassion and leadership in helping others.
February 2008 - Katrina Brinkman
Billing Rep II
Katrina joined MCHD in May 2006 and quickly demonstrated her work ethic and desire for excellence. In addition to her normal duties in the Billing Department, Katrina has been instrumental in the success of the department toward its goal of reducing of paper records. She has created more efficient processes for insurance verification using electronic means instead of paper forms. This allows the staff to remain at their workstation instead of running back and forth to the copier.
January 2008 - Erik Richenberger
In Charge Paramedic
November 2007 - Rhonda Gilliam
Staff Accountant
Rhonda is a great asset to the MCHD accounting department. She is charged with processing all invoices and check requests, insuring that our vendors are paid on time. She comes to work each day with a positive attitude and works diligently to make sure that all District obligations are paid current each month. This year, “accounts payable” has gone virtually paperless, so Rhonda has had to learn and incorporate two new systems into her daily routine. Rhonda has been instrumental this year in training the staff on the new Purchase Order and Projects Modules. She was extremely patient with co-workers during this training, providing one-on-one sessions when needed. During this process, Rhonda communicated the issues to the rest of the department to keep us all informed of the status.
In addition to her personal job responsibilities, Rhonda has been cross-trained and takes on many of the duties of the senior staff accountant position when that staff member is out of the office. She has also acted as a facilitator during staff brainstorming projects as part of our Journey to Excellence. Family is important to Rhonda, but she sometimes has to sacrifice time spent with them in order to meet shorter deadlines at work, due to upcoming holidays or other days that MCHD offices would be normally be open. We do not hear her complain about this situation. Rhonda is calm and soft-spoken at the office and she displays a laid-back, peaceful demeanor that makes others want to work with her.
October 2007 - Kevin Nutt
In Charge Paramedic
Kevin has served the citizens of Montgomery County since July of 2001. His high level of dedication and determination are admirable. kevin supervisor reports " I recently have had the opportunity to witness Kevin precepting a Paramedic student assigned to him. Kevin did an outstanding job mentoring the student and he has all the required skills to be a successful FTO." Kevin represents all of which MCHD requires out of its preceptors. We are proud of his ability to mentor the future of EMS. As his supervisor reports "I am grateful for the opportunity to work along side of him."
September 2007 - Scott Pelczar
Paramedic III
August 2007 - Connie Case
Clinical Educator
Connie is a long time MCHD employee. Formerly an In Charge Paramedic, Connie has served as a Clinical Educator for several years. During the deployment of Hurricane Deam when other Clinical Department personnel were deployed, Connie stepped up to the plate to fill others' shoes. The did this without any hesitation—even before she was asked. This is particularly impressive given all that was already on her plate - EMT-Intermediate class, Continuing Education classes, "card courses", new hire testing, and New Employee Orientation.
Connie is always ready to assist in treating patients in Healthcare Assistance Program office and went beyond expectation to call the local hospital to provide updated informatin about a patient. She consistently exhibits an aire of service before self interest. She serves on the Recruitment and Retention committee. She always makes time to help people out and truly takes ownership of people’s problems and works to help find solutions.
July 2007 - Letty Sulley
Billing Representative
Letty is an employee that puts in 110% effort everyday in whatever she does. Sometimes the workload in the billing department can be overwhelming but you will never hear Letty complain. She steps up with suggestions on ways to streamline processes or creative ideas to achieve department goals. She comes to work day in and day out with a positive attitude and she rarely if ever says anything negative about anyone. She has fantastic customer service skills when dealing with patients and their family members concerning billing issues. She is very professional when dealing with facility staff members and insurance company reps over the phone. She doesn’t hesitate to put in extra time to complete a task or to ensure that the billing department meets the monthly closing deadline. She is very much the team player not only in the billing department but has been active in different committees here at MCHD. When commendations of field staff are given by patients and family members she takes the extra step to inform the appropriate personnel. It’s very hard to pick just one incident that qualifies her for this recognition. Her great work ethic, positive attitude, dedication to MCHD and consistent quality of work in the billing department is part of who she is and is apparent everyday she comes to work. She is first in line to commend her co-workers and other MCHD staff for a job well done. We want to recognize her consistent outstanding performance!
June 2007 - Jason Grindstaff
Dispatcher
Jason has been a Dispatcher for MCHD for several years. He converted to part time when he completed the Police Academy and started working for the Montgomery Police Department. In that capacity, he also serves as a First Responder. Jason works 2-3 part time shifts for MCHD every week. Jason is always cooperative and is always a reliable source during an emergency. This month especially, Jason has sacrificed his personal time in order to help his fellow employees. He left part of the way through his shift so that he may come back later that night in order to fill in for a sick dispatcher overnight. This is just another example of his placement of MCHD above his personal interests.
The District well during one of his police shifts this week when he responded to an electrocution. Jason immediately risked his own safety to remove the patient from a dangerous area, began appropriate treatment, and even defibrillated the patient prior to the ambulance arrival. The employee that nominated Jason stated, "Mr. Grindstaff is one of the reasons that I am proud to work at MCHD. When part time employees demonstrate dedication at such a high level it is impossible for that passion not to be contagious"
May 2007 - Traci Hurst
Senior Accountant
Traci has been a fixture here at MCHD for many years and has done her job despite the changes we have all been through. She is a plethora of information and knows how, when and where each dollar is spent. Her knowledge of how MCHD works has contributed to the success of many endeavors that have been implemented to keep MCHD moving forward in their quest to serve the patients in this community with excellence in patient care, to keep in mind the people that pay the taxes that support that progressive nature, and to always stay true to MCHD.
Traci is a friendly person, always willing to make your job easier. She shares her experience willingly and goes out of her way to accommodate the ideas and needs of many people in the Administration Office. She handles her job duties with a sense of humor and dedication to completing the task in a timely manner with follow through that is second nature to her. Traci is focused, determined, and capable in her job.
April 2007 - Ricky Wood
Field Supervisor
Ricky has served the District since 1988. In addition to his duties as a Field Supervisor, Ricky coordinates the District support for local law enforcement SWAT teams. Ricky has highe expectations for clinical oversight and supporting those he works with. He is committed to customer service and always ends phone calls with "is there anything else I can do for you." The person that nominated Ricky relayed a recent personal experience in which Ricky went out of his way to meet an employee's needs. "I had a severe sinus headache on duty. We were really short handed and really busy that day. About half way through the day, my medicine wore off and I was in pretty bad shape. Ricky responed to a call with us and inquired how I was feeling and if I needed to go home. I told him I would be o.k. We transported our patient to the E.R. and by the time we got to triage, Ricky had gone and picked up some sinus medicine and brought it to me there. I think this went well above what was expected of him as a supervisor. Although, I wasn't suprised since Ricky has always been there to help us when we've needed it, it was really nice to see that he cared."
March 2007 -
Rebecca Hoots
In Charge Paramedic
Rebecca always comes to work ready and willing to take the shift on no matter what is to come. She always comes in on time with her uniform pressed and looking very professional. She comes in with a great attitude and we completely take the truck apart and clean it as if it were her own. She is always courteous to the firemen, Law Enforcement and most of all, the patient's and their families. Rebecca works well under pressure and always has it together when times are rough as in a difficult call. Rebecca is very well educated and always answers questions that are posed to her and avoids making people feel intimidated. Rebecca treats others as her equal. Rebecca is a hard worker and is efficient in every task that she is faced with. A coworker stated that he enjoys working with her and would want her to take care of their family members if the time ever called for it. They felt that she needs to be recognized for her outstanding abilities and exceptional job that she does, stating we all could learn something from her and that she sets a positive example for all EMS. Congratulations and thanks for doing such a great job.
February 2007 - Cowinners
Jack Maddox
Paramedic III
Jack Maddox has been an a committed employee of MCHD for almost 23 years. Jack goes the extra mile with his patients and is a wonderful role model for all MCHD employees. On a recent shift, a patient’s husband did not have enough gas to get to the hospital and back home. Jack reached into his pocket without hesitation and gave the patient’s husband gas money so he could follow us to the hospital.
Jack consistently conveys a positive attitude and a smile on his face. In addition to his field work, Jack proudly helps to coordinate our annual employee picnic. He serves his community as a youth baseball coach and is always willing to help someone in need. Students consistently praise Jack for his willingness to mentor them and help them fulfill their professional ambitions. For as many years as Jack has worked for MCHD, he has been viewed as a man who truly loves what he does no matter what time of day or night! Jack is a wonderful role model. Jack is the prime example of the meaning “Making a Difference!”
Terry Carpenter
In Charge Paramedic
Terry Carpenter joined MCHD in 2001. Although he has earned praise for his work ethic and professionalism before, he continues to display a consistent professional standard to his patient, his crew, and the service as a whole. A recent paramedic student stated that his instruction was invaluable and as a mentor, Terry allowed the student to exceed the professional standards required in his program. Terry’s professional appearance and attitude exceed expectations. His high level of energy, commitment to patient care and customer service, and his level of professionalism is a credit to himself and to the profession of Emergency Medical Services. Recently, Terry invited a new employee and his family into his home until they were able to get on their feet after moving from out of state. Terry truly does things for the community and his co-workers out of the goodness of his heart and should be recognized for these efforts. He is a true example of how our employees “Make a Difference.”
January 2007 - Kevin Lee
Mechanic I
Kevin Lee joined MCHD in March 2003 as a Mechanic’s Helper. He quickly established a reputation as a hard worker and quick learner. Kevin dedicated himself to service excellence and professional development. He successfully completed ASE and EVT certification training and promoted to take on more responsibility.
Kevin has proved himself a vital part of the skeleton that holds the fleet department together. He has always taken the time to address the concerns of the field staff with their vehicles. He cheerfully drops what he’s doing to take care of a small, but important problems they may have and quickly returns to the large jobs he has in progress. He is consistently cheerful in his work and never displays a poor attitude towards anyone regardless of the situation. He brings a tenacious and intellectual approach to vehicle maintenance. His quality of work is excellent. In nominating him, a fellow employee stated, “Kevin is one of the few employees that I would consider irreplaceable.”
Congratulations Kevin!
2006 Employee of the Year - Lee Gillum
Educator/Paramedic III
Lee Gillum is a true asset to all the employees of MCHD. Lee is involved in so many aspects of MCHD. He is full-time in the field and participates greatly in the MCHD education offers as an instructor and coordinator. Whatever tasks asked of Lee, he is quick to follow through to completion. Lee dabbles in database programming as well. His work has help streamline and organize many areas of the service.
He is recognized as a dedicated, knowledgeable instructor and coordinator. He has been instrumental in developing our online education program. Lee will go out of his way to help any student or employee succeed. He is an active participant in many employee workgroups. He has played a lead role in several research designs including EZIO and Biosite.
Lee coworkers respect him most for his attitude. He has such a passion for EMS and MCHD. He is dedicated to our profession and making our service a leader in that industry. He is constantly seeking knowledge and ways to improve – himself and the rest of us – and he is excited about it! He has a great enthusiasm for new ideas and projects. When the students have break-through accomplishments, he’s ever the proud “parent”, rejoicing with them and coming up with ways to reward and challenge them.
For more information about Lee, click here…
November 2006 - Justin Evans
Radio System Coordinator
Justin Evans joined MCHD in 1998 as a Radio Technician. He brought experience as a telephone technician and an overwhelming desire to learn and serve a broader customer base in communications. Justin possesses an in depth knowledge of radio and voice systems. He serves as a resource for the entire public safety community and has never been presented a task that he has not done his best to solve. He consistently models a sound work ethic for his coworkers and customers. Justin background in radio and voice networks has enabled MCHD other entities to meet with communications goals efficiently through innovative and comprehensive solutions.
Congratulations Justin!
October 2006 - Sherri Royal
HCAP Eligibility Specialist
Sherri Royal (pictured in red) is an Eligibility Specialist in the Healthcare Assistance Program Office, and has been with MCHD since 2003. Sherri is responsible for processing applications and interviewing applicants for HCAP coverage. Additionally Sherri oversees efforts to provide transportation to those clients who need transportation assistance through the Friendship Center. Her job is not easy and requires a lot of patience, but Sherri always has a smile on her face and works very well with our applicants and clients. Most recently, Sherri has served on the MCHD Values Committee.
Patient, outgoing, thoughtful, and dedicated, Sherri was nominated by one of her peers, Angela Cage: “I would like to nominate Sherri Royal for employee of the month. She works in the HCAP department and has a little toy box she keeps in her filing cabinet. When clients come in for their 45-minute interview, they sometimes have to bring small children with them. It can be very difficult to conduct an accurate interview with restless children in the office. Sometimes it’s 2 or more children that they bring. Sherri will give each child a small toy from her toy box and it really helps because the children start playing with the toy and get quit. They are also allowed to take the toy home with them. This is an example of going beyond her duties and taking initiative, seeing an issue and doing something about it. She has been doing this for over a year that I know of and I really think it shows that she does make a difference.”
Great job Sherri and Congratulations. You deserve it!
September 2006 - Lois Clancy
Public Safety Communication Officer II
Lois Clancy has been a strong contributor to the Montgomery County Hospital District for 16 years. She often relays stories of the “early days” to the younger staff and you can truly see the joy and fulfillment she received during her time in the field. You can also bet, that every story has a moral and value “moment” that the newer employee can walk away with and immediately apply to their professional life. In recent years, Lois has served the District as a Dispatcher.
It must have been raining the day Lois started her first day of training in Alarm, because it has been said, that when Lois moved to the Alarm Office an ominous “black cloud” followed her and seems to have never gone away. When Lois is dispatching, the world seems to fall apart and she does a fine job of picking-up the pieces and putting them back together. Lois always has a great attitude and is always looking out for her fellow co-worker. She displays a non-selfish attitude and is always willing to step-up and help anyone, and never expects personal gain for her actions. When Lois is confronted with a problem, she takes the time to analyze the situation and attempts to come up with the most appropriate solution, before moving forward; she never settles for “just complaining about it.”
Most recently, Lois participated in the Values Development Committee. She is a wonderful employee and deserves recognition for her performance and willingness to regularly go above and beyond.
August 2006 - Beth Abbott
Intermediate Attendant
Elizabeth Abbott began her EMS career with MCHD in February 1999. She is one of those employees who always comes to work and strives to do the best job that she can. Fellow employees feel confident when following her, knowing that the unit they are accepting will be fully stocked and ready to roll. Beth is an “unsung hero,” always willing to give a little extra when she can. Recently while off duty, she assisted an MCHD unit that was rendezvousing with a medical helicopter to transport a child to a downtown facility. Although the patient’s father was riding in the ambulance, he was not going to be able to fly with the child. Beth offered to take the father downtown in her vehicle so the father could be with his son. In the end, the father obtained alternate transportation, Beth was willing to make personal sacrifices to care for the patient’s family. This is one example of how Beth serves her community. She is a consistent performer, that makes everyone look good.
July 2006 - Calvin Hon
Clinical Systems Coordinator/Paramedic
Calvin has served many roles at MCHD. He began as a staff Paramedic and promoted to Field Supervisor in 1998. Since then he has served as a Dispatcher, Information Systems Technician, and a Clinical Supervisor. Today, Calvin's main duty is to support the RescueNet Suite of products including EMS Pro application and database. Calvin routinely works in the field to maintain his clinical knowledge and skills and to remain proficient as a software user, not just a software administrator. Everyone in the organization knows of Calvin's commitment to excellent and internal customer support. Calvin's day-to-day support of functions beyond his normal scope of duties helps others maintain the service levels the community has come to expect from MCHD.
June 2006 - Rhonda Ritchey
In Charge Paramedic
Rhonda joined the MCHD through our Paramedic Training program. She quickly distinguished herself as a conscientious, studious, and eager student. After graduating from Paramedic school, she excelled as an Attendant and quickly promoted to In Charge. She has expanded her role her to include CPR instruction and functions in the lead role in our EMT and ECA training program. Rhonda is dependable, organized and always willing to help. She has always asked a lot of questions and is never afraid to admit to her mistakes and tries to avoid making them by always being on top of the policies and procedures of the organization. She presents a professional image in her interaction with coworkers and the public. Rhonda has served the citizens of Montgomery County for approximately two years. She is currently station in Highway 242/I45 area.
May 2006 -
Diane Sandel
Logistics - Equipment Tech
Diane was nominated by Field Supervisor Greg Steiner because she “emulates the very culture we are striving to obtain in the service. She is always there to help with a smile on her face and she frequently goes the extra mile. She does the job assigned to her with extreme competence and efficiency. Recently she has been tasked with taking on additional duties, because of the Logistics Department being short staffed, which she has done without question.” Diane was treated to “a day on MCHD,” including movie passes, a gift certificate to one of her favorite restaurants, and a Visa gift card.
