Honors an individual whose job performance is considered exemplary by people within their organizations, peers and community members.
ZANE BENNETT
Title: Director of business development
Organization: Life Care Services
What the nominator said: Zane Bennett was recently promoted to director of business development for Life Care Services. Bennett previously served as Plantation Village’s executive director for seven years and throughout the pandemic. “Plantation Village, a nonprofit Life Plan Community in Porters Neck (managed by Life Care Services (LCS)), is a case study on how to implement a COVID-19 emergency response campaign for a vulnerable population to ensure their health and well-being. When COVID-19 hit in early 2020, Plantation Village did not hesitate to spring into action to ensure the safety of its 300 residents ranging in ages from 62 to 100, its 150-member staff and family members. Thanks to leadership’s proactive response, there have been only two incidents of COVID among residents – each resident was vaccinated, had mild cases in August 2021 and are now fully recovered. … In January and February 2021, Plantation Village hosted on-site vaccination clinics in partnership with Walgreens. The community is working with Walgreens to host an on-site booster vaccine clinic as soon as it’s available. LCS introduced Eversafe 360, a new standard that raises the bar for overall safety for residents and staff.”
- Debbie Elliot, Talk Inc. president
JOHN GIZDIC
Title: Executive vice president & chief business development officer
Organization: Novant Health
What the nominator said: “John Gizdic has spent more than 15 years leading New Hanover Regional Medical Center … . In his roles at the organization, which have included vice president of strategic planning, COO, president and CEO, he has led several key initiatives, including the creation of the NHRMC Physician Group. Gizdic also led the organization’s accountable care organization, which coordinated high-quality Medicare and oversaw approximately $1 billion in capital projects. … In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic crippled our national economy and changed the way we had to deliver health care. Through it all, Gizdic maintained the confidence of our team members and the community as NHRMC led the effort to inform the public, protect health care workers, and distribute the vaccine. Before the pandemic, Gizdic launched an effort to find the best health care solution for our region. … Through a comprehensive, detailed process, a committee helped NHRMC partner with Novant Health, ensuring that NHRMC’s ideals and commitments to our community would be fulfilled, while allowing the expansion of needed health care services in our region.”
- Lindsay Smith, Novant Health marketing strategist
LYNDA STANLEY
Title: President
Organization: Dosher Memorial Hospital
What the nominator said: “Lynda Stanley stepped into her role of president of Dosher Memorial Hospital at the onset of the COVID pandemic, as the entire health care world was forced to pivot into a new sphere of normal. Even with the challenges that the pandemic year has presented health care, Lynda has continued to find ways to grow hospital service lines and in February of 2021, Lynda played a key role in bringing robotic arm-assisted knee replacement surgery to Dosher, putting the hospital on the map as the first in the region to offer this technology. Lynda made a commitment when she accepted her role as hospital president to make Dosher a great place to work. Under Lynda’s navigation, the hospital has operated more profitably than it has in over a decade and recently, Lynda had asked and secured approval from the Dosher Board of Trustees to award all staff members with a one-time bonus, as appreciation of their hard work and dedication through this most challenging year. The financial viability of the hospital puts Dosher in a position to continue to offer high-quality services to the Smithville Township area and remain a key employer for the region.”
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Ilene Evans, Dosher’s director of marketing & community relations
