Trustees Hold Successful Annual Conference, Present Awards
Top photo: Stephen Albertalli (left), Immediate Past Chair of HTNYS’ Governing Board and Trustee of Corning Hospital, presents the 2009 Trustee Leadership Award to D. Joseph Gersuk, Trustee of Ellis Hospital, Schenectady. At right is HTNYS’ Chair, Richard Hawks, Jr. Bottom photo: Howard T. Howlett, Jr. (center), Trustee of WCA Hospital, accepts the 2009 Trustee Advocacy Award from Mr. Albertalli and Mr. Hawks. More than 500 health care trustees, chief executive officers, and other health care leaders participated in Healthcare Trustees of New York State’s (HTNYS) 2009 Annual Conference, Achieving Governance Excellence, held at The Sagamore on Lake George September 11-13.
This year’s Conference offered insight into the trends and forces that are shaping health care reform and the governance challenges that trustees face in today’s environment. In addition to an address by HANYS’ President Daniel Sisto, this year’s Conference offered presentations by a number of compelling thought leaders, including accountability expert Linda Galindo, health futurist Ian Morrison, and American Hospital Association Chair-elect Richard de Filippi. Educational sessions covered critical topics such as executive compensation, quality of care, managed care, and provider consolidation. A key focus of many of the presentations was the need for trustees to strategically position their organizations to thrive in the face of vast changes that are expected with federal health reforms. Speaker handouts are available on HTNYS’ Web site.
HTNYS bestowed its two signature honors, recognizing Howard T. Howlett, Jr., of WCA Hospital in Jamestown with the 2009 Trustee Advocacy Award, and D. Joseph Gersuk of Ellis Hospital in Schenectady with the 2009 Trustee Leadership Award.
HTNYS’ Trustee Leadership Award honors a trustee who has had a profound impact in the boardroom in terms of trustee skills, time commitment, and knowledge required for effective decision making. HTNYS’ Advocacy Award recognizes an individual who has made outstanding contributions in advocacy initiatives on behalf of a hospital or health system.
Also during the Conference, HTNYS announced the launch of its newest initiative, the Center of Excellence for Trustee Training (CETT). CETT, which is featured on HTNYS’ new Web Site, highlights the comprehensive and cutting-edge education that HTNYS offers to trustees to support them in meeting their fiduciary responsibilities and effectively leading their organizations. CETT offers trustees a variety of training venues to meet trustee educational through either in-person or portable education that is delivered to hospital board members at their desks, their facilities, or within their regions. Contact: Sue Ellen Wagner