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www.HartfordBusiness.com December 5, 2016 • Hartford Business Journal 15 HEALTH CARE HEROES 2016 Health Care Heroes provide healing touch for those in need W ith the changing tides in Washington D.C., the healthcare industry is headed into another year of great uncertainty and, most likely, changes. But regardless of the political and practical challenges the industry faces, the everyday efforts of those who work in the industry remain as important as ever. This week, we are honoring nine Health Care Heroes in Greater Hartford, who are making a difference in our community every day. Our winners run the gamut from indi- viduals who are using animal -assisted therapy to promote healing and increase patient optimism, to social workers helping cancer patients deal with the stress of their disease. In the pages that follow, you'll also learn about an ALS patient who captured the hearts and minds of Connecticut residents and the entire country promoting aware- ness of his disease during the Travelers Championship. Many of our winners this year are involved in helping patients cope with the psycho- logical effects of their diseases. Others volunteer their time to help serve the community and local patients. Our judges — Angela Mattie (Quinnpiac University), John O'Connell Jr. (C.M. Smith Agency Inc.) and Ellen Andrews (CT Health Policy Project) — played a key role iden- tifying our Health Care Heroes. Using standard criteria they voted on nominees in eight different categories ranging from nurses, physicians, and volunteers to industry leaders who made advancements in healthcare prevention and innovation. The judges were particularly adept at finding heroes who are innovators, like a Connecticut Children's Medical Center surgeon who is working with a team of UConn researchers to find a new way to treat babies born with esophageal atresia, a defect where the tube between the mouth and stomach fails to connect. Collectively, they are an impressive class of Health Care Heroes. We recently honored them during a Dec. 1 luncheon at the Connecticut Convention Center in downtown Hartford. Our heroes were nominated by those who know their work the best — co-workers, clients, etc. They share a common passion for the services they provide and life-changing impacts they have on the lives of others. We hope you join us in congratulating them. And remember, it's not too early to start think- ing about who you'd like to nominate for next year's class of Health Care Heroes. – Greg Bordonaro, Editor BRIAN SAVO IS OUR HERO. Brian has become a valued member of the Hospital for Special Care family. As our representative and Honorary Co-Chairman of the 2016 Travelers Championship alongside Travelers Executive Chairman Jay Fishman, he made an extraordinary contribution to the awareness and fundraising efforts for ALS. Our heartfelt thanks and admiration go out to Brian and his family. He is most deserving of the Healthcare Heroes award. www.hfsc.org • 860.223.2761 HOSP-0523 Brian SavoAd 4.8755x6.875R2.indd 1 11/23/16 10:08 AM Contents: 16 Jenifer Ash Winner: Advancement in Healthcare — Prevention 18 Christine Finck Winner: Advancement in Healthcare — Innovation 20 Mark Finkelstein Winner: Corporate Achievement — Innovation 22 Heather Hancort Winner: Nurse 24 David Rosenblum Winner: Physicians 26 Brian Savo Winner: Community Service — Advocacy/Policy 28 Patricia Verde Winner: Healthcare Staff 30 Mary Guglielmo & Mary Alsing Winners: Volunteers 32 Finalists List 33 Judges MEE T THE WINNERS! Special Section: pages 14-33 2016 www.HartfordBusiness.com December 5, 2016 • Hartford Business Journal 13 Presenting sPonsor: event sPonsors: ProHealth Physicians Nationally Recognized for Patient-Centered Care! Patients Trust ProHealth! More than 360,000 people statewide trust our family of primary care doctors and specialists with their lifelong health and wellness. To schedule your fi rst visit, call 1-855-CTMD-411. ProHealthMD.com Congratulations 2016 Health Care Heroes!