TIFTON — Tift Regional Medical Center honored attorney Bob Reinhardt Sr. and saluted employees at the hospital’s annual banquet held Oct. 28 at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center.  

 TRMC presented Reinhardt with the John B. Prince III Distinguished Service Award for his more than 35 years of service as legal counsel for the hospital. He also served 12 years as a Tift County Hospital Authority trustee. Reinhardt is president of Reinhardt, Whitley, Summerlin and Pittman, Tifton’s oldest locally owned and managed law firm.  

 Named after the chairman of the Tift County Hospital Authority, the John B. Prince III Distinguished Service Award recognizes a longstanding associate of TRMC who is also an established leader in the community, using their influence to enhance the mission of the hospital.  

“Over the years, Bob Reinhardt has offered valuable consultation to the hospital authority and administration,” said Prince, who presented the award. “Through his various positions and roles within the community, Bob has been a stern advocate of Tift Regional Medical Center, recognizing the value that our institution brings to the area from both a healthcare and economic standpoint.”

The winners of the 2008 Jensen Nursing Excellence Awards, presented the same evening, were Linda Giddens, RN of Medical West and Beth Cauley, RN of Pediatrics. Both nurses were nominated for providing warm, excellent care to patients.

TRMC named Judy Griffin as the hospital’s Dr. Sammie D. Dixon Employee of the Year and Diane Edenfield as Hidden Hero of the Year. Griffin is a receptionist for the Radiology Department and Edenfield serves as scheduling supervisor for the Patient Access Department.  Griffin and Edenfield were selected for going above and beyond in providing service to patients and fellow co-workers.  Dixon, a retired OB/GYN physician and hospital executive, provides an endowment to TRMC each year to recognize employees of the month and employee of the year.

TRMC also recognized employees with five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 years of service. 

“At TRMC, we have a family of employees who are dedicated to quality, compassionate care, and this banquet was a tribute to them,” said William T. Richardson, president/CEO. 

With the theme, “A World of Difference at TRMC,” the banquet included a special presentation on the diversity of hospital employees with musical tributes by Kristen Lawhon, OT, Jessica Whitaker, RN and Michael Dukes.