River Parishes Hospital’s 25th annual Service Awards Banquet was held recently at Armand’s Bistro at the Quality Inn in LaPlace.  Each year, River Parishes Hospital recognizes employees by their length of service to the facility.  Awards are given to employees who have completed their 5th, 10th, 15th and 25th year of consecutive employment at RPH.  The hospital opened in June of 1982, making this the first year they were able to honor a group of employees with a 25-year service award.

At no other time in the hospital’s history have they had such a large number of employees to honor.  A total of 51 employees were recognized.  RPH is a top employer in the River Parishes, apparent by the number of employees who were awarded for achieving a 5-year milestone of service.

Kat Trepagnier, director of human resources, who served as master of ceremonies, explained, “In the past, our chief executive officer has recognized these employees, but this year we decided to turn this over to our department managers.  It was an excellent decision because we heard some wonderful stories and some outstanding achievements about our employees from their respective department managers with whom they work with every day.  As we listened, we laughed out loud and cried with joy, just like you would with family.”

After all employees were awarded for their years of service, Charlotte Dupré, CEO, introduced the three nominees for Manager of the Year. She opened the sealed envelope and announced a three-way tie:  Brad Vicknair, materials management director, Kerry Kippes, maintenance director, and Diane Abbondante, surgical services director.  

Ms. Dupré said with enthusiasm, “We had three outstanding nominees, and we wanted all three to be recognized for the contributions they make to the facility, their outstanding quality of work and the positive attitude they demonstrate every day.  What a joy it is to work with these folks.”  

Each winner received a check for $2,500 and a four-day weekend off with pay.

To close the evening, Dupré recognized the six “star” employees who were nominated for the 2008 Employee of the Year. They were: Trude Montz, Rhonda Burns, Sharon Tamporello, Denise Nosacka, Kyle Cason and Melba Perez-Berguno. These employees were nominated by a coworker, manager, patient, or visitor at the hospital for their loving care, professionalism, kind actions, teamwork and especially compassion they have shown to our patients and visitors.  They go above and beyond their job duties on a daily basis. “We are very proud to have these genuine, compassionate men and women as employees of River Parishes Hospital. Dupré announced with great pride the Employee of the Year winner as Kyle Cason, a nuclear medicine technologist in the radiology department.

Cason has been recognized on several occasions by physicians, coworkers and patients for his dedication to River Parishes Hospital and his genuine concern for his patients. He has been employed as a nuclear med tech at the hospital since it opened in 1982. On his own initiative, he became certified in osteoporosis by passing the national registry exam and currently serves as the hospital’s DEXA Technologist. Because of his commitment to offer the latest in technology to his patients, River Parishes Hospital recently purchased a new Bright View SPECT Nuclear Medicine Gamma Camera, which is the first of its kind in the nation, as well as a new Luna Prodigy Advance Bone Densitometer, which is one of the most advanced bone densitometry technologies available.

His Manager Ann LeBlanc states that there is not a minute that goes by that Kyle does not exemplify excellent customer service. “His kindness to his patients is limitless. He follows his patients and their outcomes through personal communication with them.”

As the Employee of the Year, Cason received a check for $1,500 and had a star named for him by the Name-A-Star Foundation.