Every day, we are thankful for our team members who work tirelessly to improve the health and well-being of our communities. Through human dignity, compassion, service, integrity and stewardship, our team goes above and beyond for our patients.
And you don’t have to look any further than Ken Hale, director of operations at Mercy Health – Allen Hospital, to see these values in action.
Ken has been with our ministry for more than 40 years and shows us all what it means to have a servant’s heart. That’s why he is the recipient of this year’s Sisters of Humility of Mary Mission Leadership Award.
The Sisters of the Humility of Mary are one of the founding sponsors of Mercy Health. Visiting and nursing the sick was an integral part of the sisters’ ministry after settling in America from France in 1864, and they have been instrumental in bringing health care to the Lorain area for 130 years. The Sisters of the Humility of Mary Mission Leadership Award was established in 2011 by the Mercy Health Board of Trustees to honor individuals whose leadership reflects and continues the Sisters’ legacy.
This year, Ken was nominated by Carrie Jankowski, president of Allen Hospital, for his dedication to our ministry’s mission.
“Ken is a servant leader who keeps our patients as the north star of his decision making,” Carrie shares. “He has worked alongside his staff when needed and has even comes in on his off days to help when challenges arise. Most recently, Ken came in when our EPOC units, which are used in blood analysis, were not working. He traveled all the way to Allen Hospital and then Lorain Hospital to troubleshoot the problem alongside the nursing supervisor from 2 to 5 a.m. until it was resolved.”
Ken’s passion for helping others is evident in all he does.
From mentoring his team and working at the bedside when departments need help to offering coworkers rides and helping fellow staff members work without burden, he models selflessness in helping others in need.
Ken is known as the ‘go-to’ for most things at Allen Hospital. Ken receives calls daily, at all hours, from departments throughout the hospital. Doctors, techs, nurses, therapists and many others call upon his experience for information and advice.
“He works tirelessly with his team to create an environment of patient-centered care by being transparent and demonstrating our values in action,” Carrie adds. “Ken believes, regardless of your title, that we need everyone to assist to get a job done. I feel he carries out this ideal daily and believes there is a great deal to learn in an organization when it encourages its members to contribute at all levels.”
She continues, “despite the overwhelming amount of work that everyone must do, Ken consistently finds ways to help departments throughout the facility. His willingness to assist others and his commitment to collaborating with employees is unequaled.”
There is no better example of this than in the moments just before Ken was set to receive this award.
This is because he delivered napkins to his own surprise ceremony! When asked by a teammate to take napkins to an event they were setting up for down the hall, Ken kindly stepped up to the plate, only to find his family and coworkers waiting to celebrate him.
As Carrie described, Ken is nothing short of inspiring. Upon receiving the award, Ken shared his gratitude for his team.
“I am very humbled by this award. Through the last 40 years, I have been blessed to have worked with many great people and I appreciate everything they have done for me. I could not have done it without them. Thank you.”
This holiday season, we are celebrating by spreading the good news! Read more feel-good stories, like this one, that feature our team members, patients and the wonderful communities we are blessed to serve.
Also, learn about the health care services we provide at Mercy Health.
