On May 9 at HSHS Sacred Heart and St. Joseph’s hospitals’ Colleague Service Awards banquet at the Florian Gardens, Andrew Bagnall, president and CEO, HSHS Western Wisconsin Division, announced the colleague and physician award recipients for the two hospitals. HSHS Western Wisconsin Division includes Sacred Heart and St. Joseph’s hospitals.
Tom Vickery, facilities manager at HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital, has been named the 2019 recipient of the Father Klimek Healing Presence Award. Rolanda Rada, a registered nurse in ambulatory care at HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital, has been named the 2019 recipient of the Keeper of the Tradition Award.
Vickery has worked at Sacred Heart Hospital for 30 years and Rada has worked at St. Joseph’s Hospital for 30 years, as well. Their awards are the highest honor a colleague can receive at the two hospitals. Each award recognizes a long-term colleague who has dedicated his or her life to being a humble servant of the sick.
“I have been fortunate to work for Sacred Heart for 30 years and I truly believe this is a wonderful place,” said Vickery.
“I am very grateful and so blessed to have worked here for 30 years,” said Rada. “There is so much hope and joy in our hospital family that was instilled in us from the Hospital Sisters. This Joyful Christian Hospitality is who we are.”
Bagnall also announced that Fadi Sabbagh, M.D., has been named Sacred Heart Hospital’s Physician of the Year for 2019, and James Iwakiri, M.D., has been named St. Joseph’s Hospital’s Physician of the Year for 2019. These awards are the highest clinical honor a physician can receive at the two hospitals.
Fadi Sabbagh, M.D., joined HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital in 2006, and is affiliated with OakLeaf Clinics – Eau Claire Medical Clinic. He received his medical degree from Aleppo University School of Medicine in Aleppo, Syria. He completed his Internal Medicine Residency program at Cook County Hospital in Chicago and fellowship training in Critical Care Medicine and Pulmonary Disease at SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn, NY. Dr. Sabbagh is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Disease, Critical Care Medicine and Sleep Medicine.
James Iwakiri, M.D., joined HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital in 1994, and is affiliated with Western Wisconsin Urology, S.C. He received his medical degree from Northwestern Medical School in Chicago. He completed residencies in surgery and in urology at Stanford University Medical Center in Stanford, CA. Dr. Iwakiri is certified by the American Board of Urology and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
One hundred and eighty one colleagues who have reached significant milestones – with a combined total of 2,755 years of service – were honored at this year’s event. Recent retirees also were honored.