New Board Leadership
Several business and community leaders were named to the CHC-NE State of Board of Directors at the annual meeting in July. Michael Demman, CEO of SimplyWell LLC of Omaha, will serve a three-year at-large term.
Six new agency reps were appointed for two-year terms representing their respective agencies. They are Martie Cordaro, The Omaha Royals, representing The ALS Association Keith Worthington Chapter; Mary Lee Fitzsimmons, Alegent Health Home Care and Hospice, representing the Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Partnership; Jennie Hanson, West Corp., representing the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America, Nebraska Chapter; Cindy Key, Bank of the West, representing the American Lung Association; Ed Miller, The Gallup Organization, representing the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation; and Sushma Rai, MD, UNMC Physicians, representing Prevent Blindness Nebraska.
It was also announced that outgoing CHC-NE board member Steve Douglas, Woodmen of the World, will serve as the CHC-NE vice chair for the United Way of the Midlands and a division chair on the UW campaign cabinet. Newly elected to the CHC-NE Executive Committee was Teresa Layton, Centennial Bank.
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Eight outgoing state directors were recognized and honored for a combined 171 years of service to the CHC-NE state board, including: James Armitage, MD, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 17 years; Jim Cada, Cada & Associates, Lincoln, 20 years; Tom Dudycha, ITC Advertising and Marketing, 23 years; Dick Henkenius, Omaha attorney, 27 years; Sheri Idelman, Solutionary, 17 years; Howard Shrier, Pappas Telecasting Companies, 17 years; Mike Shrier, Goldberg & Shrier, 29 years; and Dean Rasmussen, Grandmother’s Inc., 21 years. Thank You!!!
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CHC-NE honored two Nebraska employers with its annual Partners in Health Award at the organization’s annual meeting in July. They are Ameritas Life Insurance Corp., Lincoln, and Global Industries, Grand Island.
The award recognizes organizations that actively promote the ongoing awareness of health and wellness, and serve as a model of how commerce, government or industry and the health sector interact to improve the quality of life for those in the community.
Ameritas was honored for its community service and philanthropy. Each year the company contributes to more than 100 community organizations, including numerous health care and social services agencies. In addition to significant leadership giving to the United Way campaign in Lincoln, the company contributes generously through in-kind services and a volunteerism policy that allows employees to work eight hours a month on projects that benefit the community at large. Company benefits for employees include 100 percent coverage for preventive health services; fitness reimbursement and on-site health club, walking program and weight loss program; and annual health risk assessments, health fair and flu shots.
Global Industries supports community health programs and fundraising walks, including the annual Walk at Work event for health. The company also encourages employee volunteer efforts in the community and sponsors local health events. Community involvement and health and wellness are important to the company, which encourages its management team to participate in community organizations through board memberships.
Both employers also were recognized for their support of health through charitable giving campaigns benefiting Community Health Charities of Nebraska’s 18 member health agencies.
Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA), Nebraska Chapter, is the newest member charity to join Community Health Charities of Nebraska, bringing to 18 the number of Nebraska-based health agencies in the statewide fundraising federation. CCFA represents the 1.4 million people in the U.S., including 8,000 in Nebraska, who suffer from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Its mission is to cure and prevent Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis through research, and to improve the quality of life of children and adults affected by IBD through education and support. The CCFA Information Resource Center opened last year and features access to masters-level health educators via a toll-free telephone number or live web chat. There are currently two support groups operating in Nebraska, including Omaha and Lincoln.
The Nebraska office opened in January 2007 as a branch of the Rocky Mountain Chapter. It is managed by Dennis J. Gilbert, who brings a personal commitment to CCFA since being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. A relatively new voluntary health agency, the national CCFA was founded in 1967.
CHC-NE has presented a gift of patient robes to the Cancer Center of St. Francis Medical Center and announced the formation of a permanently endowed fund to benefit cancer patients. In a ceremony Jan. 18, Kari-Hooker Leep, CHC-NE Regional Director, presented 66 Inspirational Power Robes for patients undergoing chemotherapy and other cancer treatments at the St. Francis Cancer Center. "If possible, we want to make this dreadful experience better by providing cancer patients the gift of warmth by wrapping them comfort in new plush terry robes," she explained. "It's a small but significant way to honor the individuals and families touched by cancer, and to demonstrate that we are united in the fight to save lives in reduce the incidence of life-threatening disease in Nebraska." The funds to purchase the robes were raised as part of the "Dancin' With the Stars" benefit gala and breast cancer awareness event hosted by CHC-NE at the Riverside Golf Club Oct. 27, 2007. The event was held as a showcase for Susan G. Komen for the Cure Nebraska - CHC-NE's newest member agency - and to celebrate CHC-NE's 35th anniversary of raising funds for Nebraska's health charities statewide. Breaking all projected records, the sold-out gala grossed more than $33,500 in contributions for cancer patients, Leep pointed in announcing the formation of the Community Health Charities of Nebraska Cancer Awareness Fund. This permanent endowment fund will be established with revenue generated by the gala and will be administered by the Grand Island Community Foundation.