(Emporia, KS) — On February 18, 2021, Newman Regional Health recognized a combined 940+ years of service with a celebration honoring approximately 64 employees. Each year, Newman Regional Health recognizes staff members that have been with the organization for a milestone number of years.

“Our employees are celebrated after completing five years of service and every five years of service that they provide thereafter,” says Bob Wright, CEO at Newman Regional Health. “It’s important that we stop and recognize employees who achieve these milestones. They are the ones who help shape our culture and guide those who look to them as formal and informal leaders throughout their career. To have the opportunity to tell each of them how proud I was of them for their dedication and personal sacrifice during this pandemic was truly one of the high points of my career. Newman Regional Health is what it is today because of these individuals.”

“Not only are we congratulating our employees during this time, but through this event, we are enabling our employees to become closer with one another,” says Director of Business Development, McKenzie Cinelli. “They get an opportunity to converse with so many from outside their own departments. It’s neat to see a group like this supporting and congratulating one another. There’s no doubt that it increases employee morale and creates excitement among all other staff.”

The Newman Regional Health STAR (Standards, Awards, and Recognitions) Committee is responsible for the planning of this event. McKenzie mentions that none of this would have been possible without that group and their commitment to the employees, organization, and work environment. “They have a passion for making Newman Regional Health a workplace of choice, for both current and prospective employees,” said Cinelli.

The following individuals reached their incremental milestone anniversary during the 2021 year:

5 Years:

• Thomas Ervin
• Jimmie Taylor
• Dominic Hurley, MD
• Aaron Watters, MD
• James Pritchard
• Vickey Bartel
• Alexa Parks
• Constance Coble
• Rakhi Patel
• Aubrey Pyle
• Dianna Reeves
• Lucas Markowitz
• Callie Duncan
• Raynette Natividad
• Sheila Young
• Joseph Wright
• Zebida Lisso, APRN-C
• Denise Wolford
• Bethany Frank
• Mckenzie Cinelli
• Carmelita Tebben
• Janelle Depriest
• Freddie Strawder
• Tamara Zimbelman
• Juan Menjivar
• Douglas Crisp
• Toby Schmidt
• Ronald Magana
• Vanessa Irigoyen

10 Years:

• Gaylene Robinson
• Shannon Dreiling
• Laura Melton
• James Crump
• Christina Wells
• Christina Murphy
• Adam Galindo, APRN-C
• Rebecca Tafoya
• Lindsey Hubbard
• Emily Butcher
• Marcia Hendricks. APRN-C
• Margaret Ziglar
• Kindra Johnson
• Melinda Chiroy

15 Years

• Steffanie Hall
• Heather Aylward
• Roger Davis
• Rosaura Gonzalez
• Sherry Williams
• Kristi Mendoza
• Jennifer Frederiksen
• Cheryl Ball
• Andrea Elwood
• Lora Metcalfe
• Justine Witherspoon

20 Years

• Teresa Handley
• Ester Knobloch
• Lisa Bullock
• Cassie Hammond
• Melissa Torkelson

25 Years

• Tomas Wheeler

30 Years

• Heidi Turner
• Elizabeth Novak
• Janae Brown
• Harold Blits
• Jeffery Pape

35 Years:

• Karen Hastert

45 Years:

• Diane Starr

About Newman Regional Health: Newman Regional Health is a not-for-profit 25-bed Critical Access Hospital owned by the citizens of Lyon County, Kansas. Recognized as a Level 4 Trauma Center, Newman Regional Health provides inpatient acute and medical rehabilitation services along with a full range of emergency and outpatient care to patients of all ages in Lyon County and surrounding areas in East Central Kansas. Newman Regional Health offers 24/7 care with a newly renovated, state-of-the-art 19-bed emergency room and 10-bed Clinical Decision Unit. With a mission to improve health in the community by providing high quality care and a vision to be a valued, trusted partner and regional provider of exemplary services, Newman Regional Health receives recognition as a top Critical Access Hospital each year.