McQueen and Elgin win SeHealth top honors
SeHealth Lab Analyst I Heather McQueen was named the 2019 winner of the John D. Drake Distinguished Service Award, Southeastern Health’s (SeHealth) highest employee honor, and SeHealth Chief Process Design Officer Steve Elgin was named the 2019 winner of the W. Reid Caldwell Jr. Distinguished Leadership Award at SeHealth’s annual service awards banquet held Tuesday, Feb. 25 in Southeastern Regional Medical Center’s cafeteria.
“Heather is well known and respected throughout the organization and community for her compassion, enthusiasm, and energy,” said SeHealth President/CEO Joann Anderson, who made the surprise presentations. “Her combination of high ethical standards and vast experience enables her to be an excellent mentor to other employees.”
McQueen, who has been with SeHealth for 18 years, is the 33nd person to be named winner of the Drake Award, which was established by the SeHealth Board of Trustees in 1988 to recognize exceptional service by employees. The Drake award was named in honor of the late John D. Drake, who retired as head cook in 1984 after 38 years of service.
To qualify for the Drake award, a SeHealth employee must demonstrate high standards for personal performance on the job, loyalty and dedication to the organization, an excellent attendance record, respect by fellow workers, leadership skills, and a caring attitude to fellow employees and guests of the organization.
To qualify for the Caldwell award, a SeHealth leader must serve at the director level or higher with five or more years of service and must exemplify the fulfillment of the mission, vision, values and standards of behavior of the organization while serving as a mentor to other leaders, removing barriers and contributing to a learning and advancing organization.
“Steve’s leadership has been described as ‘professionally relentless’ as he is consistently focused on helping Southeastern and its patients achieve the best outcomes possible in the most effective and efficient manner,” said Anderson during the presentation.
The Caldwell award was established in June 2016 in honor of SeHealth Government Affairs Officer Reid Caldwell. Since joining the organization in 1981 as a vice president, he has led by example by exhibiting integrity, honesty and ethical behavior throughout his career.
McQueen and Elgin were awarded a framed certificate and an engraved watch as part of their respective awards. Their names will also be added to plaques that are permanently displayed SRMC’s main corridor.
McQueen lives in Whiteville with her husband, Aaron, and their two children, Gabriel and Noah.
Elgin, who is originally from Grundy, Va., lives in Florence, S.C., with his wife, Tebie, and their three children, Savannah, Stephen and Heather.
Previous winners of the Drake award were: 1988, Julia Harris; 1989, Addie Mae Caple; 1990, Beatrice Leggett and Vashti Pittman; 1991, Thelma Jean Reeves; 1992, Paula McLean; 1993, Shirley Thompson; 1994, Sonya Oxendine; 1995, Terry Carter; 1996, Vera McDowell; 1997, Jimmy Page; 1998, James E. Jones; 1999, JoAnn Falls and Myrtle Oxendine; 2000, Patricia Davis; 2001, Sherri Hayes; 2002, Doris Madden; 2003, Mary Catherine Buie; 2004, Noel Bounds; 2005, Cynthia George; 2006, Rhonda Carter; 2007, Anne Marie Hendren; 2008, Myrtle Wilcox; 2009, Audrey Cox; 2010, Bryan Hilbourn; 2011, Merry Hardin; 2012, Gerard McRae; 2014, Jeff Edge; 2015, Lisa A. Hunt; 2016, Lori Corbett; 2017, Jeanine Lawson; and 2018, Phillip Knecht.
Previous winners of the Caldwell award were Elizabeth Kirschling, 2016; Cynthia George, 2017; and Jonathan Everson, 2018.
