Presenters announced the winners of the 2026 Health Care Heroes awards Thursday night during a ceremony at the University of North Carolina Wilmington's Burney Center.

Greater Wilmington Business Journal's Health Care Heroes finalists and winners are nominated by patients, peers, co-workers and families. A panel of judges chooses finalists and category winners. The Business Journal has hosted the Health Care Heroes Awards program since 2013 to honor the people and organizations making an impact on the quality of healthcare in the region.

In addition to Lifetime Achievement Winner Margaret Weller-Stargell, president and CEO of Coastal Horizons, eight category winners accepted their awards Thursday. They were:
 

• Community Achievement: Lauren Haigler, RN | Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center
• Health Care Executive: Laurie Whalin, President | Novant Health Coastal Region
• Innovation in Health Care: Alex McDaniel & Lindsey Schroeder, Co-founders/Associate professors | NSAT Systems/UNCW
• Nurse: Michael Wahoff, Registered nurse | Novant Health NHRMC Emergency Department
• Nurse Practitioner/Physician Assistant: Hanes Mintz, Physician assistant | Novant Health Heart & Vascular Institute
• Physician: Andre Leonard, Physician/Medical director | Intracoastal Internal Medicine/Cape Fear HealthNet
• Unsung Hero: Miles Davidson, Patient ambassador-food and nutrition | Novant Health NHRMC
• Volunteer: Mike Hamby, Hospice veteran volunteer | Lower Cape Fear LifeCare

Read more about the winners and finalists in the November print edition of the Business Journal and in stories online at the links above.