LAPLACE – River Parishes Hospital’s 28th annual Service Awards Banquet was held Wednesday, April 6, at Belle Terre Country Club in LaPlace. Employees celebrating a five-year milestone of service as well as Employee of the Year nominees were honored and awarded at the event.

Forty-seven employees were recognized for achieving five, 10, 15, 20 and 25 years of service to the hospital in 2010. Each department manager was called upon to recognize the employees in his/her department and hand out their respective service award.

“A hospital is simply a building filled with equipment to provide medical treatment,” said Gerald A. Fornoff, River Parishes Hospital’s chief executive officer. “The thing that makes a hospital a great hospital is its employees.”

He continued, “We are gathered here tonight to recognize and thank our employees for their dedication to our hospital and our community. Together, these employees have given 470 hours of service to the residents of the River Parishes here at River Parishes Hospital.”

Fornoff then introduced the nominees for employees of the year. As each nominee was announced, Fornoff summed up the feelings o before his/her coworkers. Each nominee was awarded a certificate before, Fornoff announced the winner in each category.

The Professional Employee of the Year for 2010 are Marie Tassin, Risk Manager/Infection Control preventionist and Relief House supervisor. Tassin has been an employee at River Parishes Hospital since April 18, 2000. Tassin’s manager stated she exhibits compassion for her patients and their families by always taking into consideration their individual needs.

The Technical Employee of the Year are Dawn Reed, a radiology tech. Reed has been employed at RPH since Oct. 26, 1998. Reed’s coworkers say she is a focused, hardworking employee who sets very high standards for others to follow.

The Support Employee of the Year are Tammy Waltz, community relations coordinator. Waltz has been an employee at RPH since Aug. 7, 1995. Waltz’s coworkers said her dedication, professionalism and commitment to providing great service make her an asset to River Parishes Hospital.

Each Employee of the Year was presented a $500 cash gift and had a star in the heavens named in her honor by the “Name A Star Foundation.”

The banquet concluded with the announcement of the hospital’s Manager of the Year – Mary Lubrano, director of the Occupational Medicine Center. Lubrano has been employed at the hospital since 1992. She began her career as a newly graduated registered nurse in the Intensive Care Unit. She served as assistant manager and manager of the ICU, as well as Manager of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory. In 2010, she assumed additional responsibilities and handled them with the same professionalism as she has demonstrated throughout her tenure at River Parishes Hospital, according to hospital staff.

“Our Administrative Team enjoys hosting this annual event to show our appreciation for our employees’ hard work and commitment to our hospital,” said Fornoff. “It also gives us an opportunity to highlight those employees who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in their everyday actions. These employees serve as role models for others to follow.”