Press Release
ASHES Recognizes Four for Professional Excellence and Five Year Sponsorship
Reno, September 23, 2009 – Today the American Society for Healthcare Environmental Services (ASHES), of the American Hospital Association, presented the four professional excellence awards.
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The J. Owen Flynn Memorial Award was presented to Eugene House, Chief, Environmental Management Services, Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Minneapolis, Minn. The Owen Flynn Memorial Award, sponsored by Wexford Labs in honor of company founder and ASHES supporter Owen Flynn is presented to an individual who, without compensation or personal gain, performed a service or services to the benefit of their hospital, community, state, or country. This service may be in the form of community projects, civic work or charitable service.
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The James Wolffbrandt Mentor Award was presented to James E. Henry, CHESP, Director of Environmental Services, Lake Pointe Medical Center, Rowlett, Texas. The James Wolffbrandt Mentor Award sponsored by the Greater Philadelphia ASHES affiliate in honor of ASHES past president and chapter mentor Jim Wolffbrandt recognizes an individual who has made a selfless commitment of their personal time and/or professional expertise to guide, encourage, and educate professionals in the field of environmental services or textile care.
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Excellence in Safety and Quality Improvement in Environmental Services was presented to Kent Miller, CHESP, Director of Environmental Services for Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, Ill. The Excellence in Safety and Quality Improvement in Environmental Services was established for ASHES by The Clorox Company to recognize the critical contributions of environmental services toward preventing the transmission of infection in acute and long term care. The award focuses on excellence, innovation, advancement and best practices for operational improvements consistent with the Institute of Medicine's Six Aims for Healthcare Improvement; Care that is Safe, Patient Centered, Efficient, Effective, Timely and Equitable.
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The Environmental Stewardship Award was presented to Gary McDermott, CHESP, President, Comprehensive Waste Stream Consulting, Scotch Plains, N.J. The Environmental Stewardship Award, sponsored by the family of past president Thomas J Fitzgerald III is presented to an individual who has worked tirelessly to preserve the environment through waste reduction, pollution prevention and/or mercury elimination in a health care setting.
Also recognized was Orkin Commercial Services for their five year sponsorship commitment to the organization. Orkin has demonstrated a long-term commitment in the interest of and support for the healthcare environmental services profession, in particular ASHES members, through their support as a Platinum Sponsor. Without high-level sponsorship commitments, ASHES could not consistently deliver high-quality, high-energy Annual Conference programming.
“On behalf of the ASHES membership, conference attendees, the board of directors, and staff, we are so grateful for the positive impact Orkin Commercial Services has had on the delivery of conference programming and on our organization” said Tina Cermignano, CHESP, ASHES President.
Cermignano and Patti Costello, ASHES Executive Director, presented the award to Orkin at the 24th ASHES Annual Conference.
About ASHES
The American Society for Healthcare Environmental Services, of the American Hospital Association, is the premier health care association for over 2300 environmental services, housekeeping, textile care and transport professionals - the largest health care environmental services organization in the world.
