FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CHA Awards Healthcare Community Leaders

            CLEVELAND – The Center for Health Affairs (CHA) celebrates the commitment and contributions of eight individuals of the healthcare community through the recent presentation of the organization’s annual awards. 

This year’s Edward F. Meyers Outstanding Trustee recipients are:

• Polly H. Clemo, 10-year trustee of The MetroHealth System

• Fred W. Dewey, 18-year trustee of Southwest Community Health System

• William H. Kelly, 37-year trustee of Medina General Hospital

• Sister M. Joachim Mullen, 16-year trustee of Parma Community General Hospital

• Dennis J. Roche, six-year trustee of Lakewood Hospital

• Douglas B. Wilber, six-year trustee of Allen Medical Center

            The Edward F. Meyers Award recognizes the commitment and dedication of men and women who serve as trustees of CHA’s member institutions.

            This year’s Meritorious Service Award was presented to Donna Kelly Rego, who has demonstrated an enormous commitment to the healthcare system in Northeast Ohio. She has served The MetroHealth System as a member of its board for more than 20 years and has been chairperson for 14 years. Rego is also the immediate past chairperson of The Center for Health Affairs Board of Trustees. Rego’s contributions extend beyond the healthcare community, as she is a founding trustee of Malachi House and the West Side Catholic Center. She is also a former trustee of the Buckeye Health Center Tabor Consultation Center, Sophia Center, St. Malachi Center, The Near West Theatre and the Center for Community Solutions, to name a few.

This year’s Distinguished Service Award was presented to L. Jon Schurmeier, former President and Chief Executive Officer of Southwest General Hospital. Schurmeier dedicated more than 30 years to Southwest General Health Center and was the leader of that institution for 24 years. Under his leadership, the hospital experienced tremendous growth in size and in its scope of services. Schurmeier also spearheaded Southwest’s adoption of the concept of a “hospital without walls” in which health center services were brought out into the community.

He was the driving force behind the development of the Quality Communities Partnership, an active collaboration of community and business leaders, public school superintendents, elected officials and residents, aimed at creating and furthering projects that improve the quality of life and wellness for residents of the community.

The Center for Health Affairs is a hospital trade association representing 35 Northeast Ohio hospitals and serving those organizations and others through a variety of advocacy and business management services. CHA also works to educate the public on issues that affect the delivery of healthcare.  For more on CHA, go to www.chanet.org. 

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