Vanek Honored with THA Pioneer Award
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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(AUSTIN - Sept. 15, 2011) – James E. Vanek, administrator/chief executive officer of Lavaca Medical Center in Hallettsville, has been honored with the Texas Hospital Association’s Pioneer Award, an annual award that recognizes excellence in rural hospital management. Vanek received the award at a luncheon during the Texas Rural Health Forum, Sept. 14 in San Antonio. The award is presented by THA’s Rural Hospital Constituency Section and sponsored by the Texas Hospital Insurance Exchange (THIE) and HealthSHARE. Vanek was selected for the honor by the constituency section’s governing council, which is comprised of fellow rural hospital administrators from around the state. Vanek has overall management responsibility for the Lavaca Hospital District, which includes the 25-bed Lavaca Medical Center, the Lavaca Family Health Clinic and the LMC Health and Wellness Center. He joined the hospital in 1980 as assistant business office manager and served in various management positions before being named administrator/CEO in 1987. During his tenure as CEO, Vanek has expanded the hospital’s services, launched an award-winning wellness program and pioneered the use of information technology to improve care and streamline business processes. "James is an innovative thinker and he’s always anticipating the next challenge," said Rosanne E. Gallia, long-time chairman of the LMC Board of Directors. "Lavaca Medical Center continues to provide quality services in a competitive market because of his financial expertise and leadership skills." In 2009, the hospital won the Texas Organization of Rural & Community Hospitals’ Rural Hospital IT Award of Excellence for its efforts to further the adoption of electronic health records. That same year, the Texas Rural Health Association honored the hospital’s Health and Wellness Center with the TRHA Outstanding Program Award. "James Vanek is one of the main reasons that Lavaca Medical Center has survived when other rural hospitals have failed," said Hallettsville Mayor Warren Grindeland. "He has shown practical leadership by staying a step ahead and putting into place services to benefit the hospital’s constituents, which in turn benefits the hospital." A native of Lavaca County, Vanek earned an associate’s degree at Victoria College before graduating from the The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1978. He is active in numerous business and civic organizations, and has served as president of the Pecan Valley Area Health Education Center, the Hallettsville Chamber of Commerce and the Lions Club. He also has served on the boards of South East Texas Hospital Systems, the Texas Organization of Rural & Community Hospitals and the TORCH Foundation, the Texas Hospital Insurance Exchange, Gulf Bend Center, Golden Texas Workforce Development Board and Victoria College’s Vocational Nursing Advisory Board. In 1995, he was honored by the Hallettsville Garden Club as Citizen of the Year. Vanek and his wife, Monica, have three children. *** About Texas Hospital Association |
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