SBJ to honor professionals in health fields

Springfield Business Journal will recognize exceptional health care professionals in five fields during November’s Health Care Champions event.

A joint effort with the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce for the past five years, this year’s celebration marks a new beginning for the decades old honor.

“This year they felt we were ready to fly solo,” said Jennifer Jackson, SBJ publisher. “We are thrilled about the opportunity and excited to recognize these outstanding professionals.”

This year’s event continues the tradition of naming the Queen City’s two Top Doctors. This year’s honors go to Dr. Benjamin Lampert, who works in pain management for Mercy Hospital Springfield, and Dr. Marie McGettigan, a neonatologist with CoxHealth.

SBJ will recognize individual Health Care Champions chosen by an independent panel of judges in four rotating categories: Audiology Specialist, Critical Care/ICU Nurse, Long-term Care Provider and Social Worker/Case Manager.

In alphabetical order, the Health Care Champion honorees are:
• Audiology Specialist: Linda Curbow of Ferrell-Duncan Clinic, Kristine Grbac-Schomaker of Missouri State University and Brian Vesely, who is self employed;
• Critical Care/ICU Nurse: Jennifer Murray of Mercy Hospital Springfield, Brenda Noble of CoxHealth and LeAnn Rens of Mercy Hospital Springfield;
• Long-term Care Provider: John and Susan Foster of Foster Development Inc., Tammie Martin of Citizens Memorial Healthcare and Kim Sisk of Oxford HealthCare;
• Social Worker/Case Manager: Sheila Dullum of Mercy Hospital Springfield, Bonnie Thomas of Citizens Memorial Healthcare and Sarah Vale of CoxHealth.

The Health Care Champions banquet starts at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 12, with networking followed by dinner in downtown’s Hotel Vandivort, 305 E. Walnut St. Tickets are $55 apiece and can be purchased at sbj.net/healthcare.