(Tuesday, October 05, 2010) -

AHA Solutions & ASHHRA Announce the Gary Willis Leadership Award:
Celebrating the Operational Excellence of Human Resource Professionals in Health Care

 

Chicago (September 29, 2010) — AHA Solutions, a subsidiary of the American Hospital Association (AHA), and the American Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration (ASHHRA) today announced the Gary Willis Leadership Award (GWL). The GWL Award honors the memory of Gary Willis, an ASHHRA board member, who passed away in 2010 after a battle with stomach cancer.

The GWL Award recognizes mid-level managers and directors who have made outstanding leadership and operations contributions to their organization. The award is for managers who are looking to advance their career through continuous educational opportunities promoting operational excellence.

Managers and Directors meeting the following criteria are eligible to apply for the award:*

• Minimum of 5 years of human resources health care experience
• ASHHRA member for one year or more
• Title of manager or director

*Past and present ASHHRA Board members are not eligible for this award.

“We are happy to co-sponsor this award with ASHHRA to recognize talent in the industry while honoring a man who devoted much of his life to enhancing the human resource profession,” said Anthony Burke, President & CEO of AHA Solutions.

Gary Willis was a past president of the Montana Society of Healthcare Human Resources Administrators, a member of the ASHHRA Board of Directors, and won the ASHHRA Outstanding Chapter Achievement Award for 2004, 2005, and 2010. Gary was the Director of Human Resources at Shodair Children’s Hospital in Helena, Montana and believed strongly that Human Resources and Workforce Development are essential in building a partnership in all areas of health care to ensure that hospitals and health systems are employers of choice.

"Gary Willis loved ASHHRA and his work in human resources,” Bob Walters, Corporate Director, HR Operations, Health First and ASHHRA Board Vice President commented. “This mountain of a strong Montana man had a heart of gold and a passion for making a difference in our world of HR! His style of leadership and strong values and ethics forged a significant impact on the state of ASHHRA and his footprint remains in the strategies that have become reality and those that are still a work in progress. Although he has passed on, his spirit remains with ASHHRA, and his dedication and passion for our membership will live on."

Applications can be submitted online beginning December 1^st at www.aha-solutions.org or www.ashhra.org. Applications must be received by March 1^st and winners will be announced at the ASHHRA 47^th Annual Conference & Exhibition in the fall of 2011.

About the AHA
The American Hospital Association (AHA) is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals committed to the health improvement of their communities. The AHA is the national advocate for its members, which includes nearly 5,000 hospitals and healthcare systems, networks, and other providers of care, and 37,000 individuals. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides education for health care leaders and is a source of information on healthcare issues and trends. For more information, visit www.aha.org.

About AHA Solutions
AHA Solutions, Inc. is a resource to hospitals pursuing operational excellence. As an American Hospital Association (AHA) member service, AHA Solutions collaborates with hospital leaders and market consultants to conduct product due diligence and identify solutions to hospital challenges in the areas of finance and operations, human resources, patient flow and technology. AHA Solutions provides related marketplace analytics and education to support product decision-making. As a subsidiary of the AHA, the organization convenes people with like interests for knowledge sharing centered on timely information and research.

About ASHHRA
Founded in 1964, ASHHRA is a personal membership group of the American Hospital Association (AHA) and has more than 3,300 members nationwide. It leads the way for members to become more effective, valued, and credible leaders in health care human resources. As the foremost authority in health care human resources, it provides timely and critical support through research, learning and knowledge sharing, professional development, products and resources, and provides opportunities for networking and collaboration.  For more information about ASHHRA, visit our website at www.ashhra.org.

 

Media Contacts:

Monique Showalter, 312.895.2516
mshowalter@aha.org

Sharon Allen, 312.422.3722
sallen@aha.org

Matthew Fenwick, 312.422.2820
mfenwick@aha.org