SVMC Honors Staff with 2023 Putnam Awards

BENNINGTON, VT—November 28, 2023—Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) staff and leaders gathered this month to honor employees who embody the organization’s values and mission.

Each year SVMC, a member of Dartmouth Health, presents one award for each of the organization’s five core values: quality, empathy, stewardship, teamwork and safety.  

“I’m proud of all of our employees who embrace our core values,” stated Tom Dee, president and CEO. “These awards are especially gratifying as the peers of these recipients nominated them. On behalf of the Board of Trustees and everyone at SVMC, we congratulate the Putnam Award winners.”

This 2023 winners are listed below.

Quality: Jessica Winship, The Learning Tree

Winship’s nomination detailed a pride and passion for her work in SVMC’s child care program.

“Her passion is infectious and the result of it can be seen in her work, in her classroom management, and throughout the center,” according to her nomination. “Jessica promotes an environment that promotes communication, trust, cooperation and mutual respect regardless of any differences.”

Empathy: Cooie Kenyon, Entry Point

Working as the hospital’s front entry attendant, Kenyon’s welcoming demeanor and problem-solving skills were heralded.

“Cooie is warm, kind, and compassionate with each person she interacts with,” her nomination said. “She genuinely cares for others and wants to help make their trip to the hospital as manageable as possible. You will never see her without a smile and a warm word for others.”

Stewardship: Julie Case, Finance             

Case was noted for her knowledge and care in managing financial matters within the system.

“Julie is my go to in Finance, she is always pleasant, knowledgeable and helpful,” her nomination said. “She answers all my questions and helps me make the correct decision on finance matters.”

Teamwork: Seth McClellan, Environmental Services

McClellan’s colleagues shared that he is never too busy to help those in need and is usually the last one to ask for help himself.

“Seth McClellan has earned the respect and admiration of the EVS Team as well as his customers,” according to his nomination. “Seth is a model employee, he is punctual, attentive, caring and driven.”

Safety: Randy Bates, Security

Bates was lauded for maintaining SVMC’s Boiler Plant at the highest level of safety.

“He provides routine updates to his Engineering Colleagues, goes above and beyond with our vendors to lead preventive maintenance, and regularly coaches Engineering in the principles of safe Boiler Plant Operations,” his nomination said.

Staff are nominated for the annual Putnam Awards and winners are the standard bearers within the organization.              

Pictured Above: Pictured left to right: Randy Bates, Julie Case, Jessica Winship, Cooie Kenyon, Seth McClellan and President & CEO Tom Dee. 

###

About SVMC:

Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), a member hospital of Dartmouth Health, is a comprehensive, preeminent, healthcare system providing exceptional, convenient, and affordable care to the communities of Bennington and Windham Counties of Vermont, eastern Rensselaer and Washington Counties of New York, and northern Berkshire County in Massachusetts. SVMC includes Southwestern Vermont Regional Cancer Center, the SVHC Foundation, as well as 25 primary and specialty care practices.

Southwestern Vermont Medical Center is among the most lauded small rural health systems in the nation. It is the recipient of the American Hospital Association’s 2020 Rural Hospital Leadership Award. In addition, SVMC is a five-time recipient of the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence. The health system is fortunate to have the support of platinum-level corporate sponsor Mack, a leading supplier of contract manufacturing services and injection molded plastic parts based in Arlington, VT.

Southwestern Vermont Medical Center provides exceptional care without discriminating on the basis of an individual’s age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. Language assistance services, free of charge, are available at 1-800-367-9559.

Thank you to our corporate sponsors: Mack, Trane, and Wilmington Trust, a member of the M&T family.

SVMC Contact: Kathryn.Czaplinski@svhealthcare.org

About Dartmouth Health: Dartmouth Health, New Hampshire’s only academic health system and the state’s largest private employer, serves patients across northern New England. Dartmouth Health provides access to more than 2,000 providers in almost every area of medicine, delivering care at its flagship hospital, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) in Lebanon, NH, as well as across its wide network of hospitals, clinics and care facilities. DHMC is consistently named the #1 hospital in New Hampshire by U.S. News & World Report, and is recognized for high performance in numerous clinical specialties and procedures. Dartmouth Health includes Dartmouth Cancer Center, one of only 51 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the nation, and the only such center in northern New England; Dartmouth Health Children’s, which includes the state’s only children’s hospital and multiple locations around the region; member hospitals in Lebanon, Keene and New London, NH, and Windsor, VT; and Visiting Nurse and Hospice for Vermont and New Hampshire; and more than 24 clinics that provide ambulatory and specialty services across New Hampshire and Vermont. Through its historical partnership with Dartmouth and the Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth Health trains nearly 400 medical residents and fellows annually, and performs cutting-edge research and clinical trials recognized across the globe with Geisel and the White River Junction VA Medical Center in White River Junction, VT. Dartmouth Health and its more than 13,000 employees are deeply committed to serving the healthcare needs of everyone in our communities, and to providing each of our patients with exceptional, personal care.

DH Contact: news@dartmouth-health.org