People - executive appointments - Brief Article

Healthcare Financial Management, Oct, 2001

Michael W. Browder, CPA (Arizona Chapter), has joined Essent Healthcare, Nashville, Tennessee, as senior vice president and CFO. He had been senior vice president and CFO, TMC Healthcare, Tucson, Arizona.

Steven Benov, MBA (First Illinois Chapter), has been appointed vice president of public finance, healthcare finance group, Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Chicago, Illinois. He had been a managing director, Banc of America Securities, Chicago, Illinois.

James R. Alexander, CPA (Tennessee Chapter), has joined HFMA, Washington, D.C., as a technical director.

Previously, he was finance director, Nashville Metro Bordeaux Hospital, Nashville, Tennessee.

Martin C. Nowak, MHA (Alabama Chapter), executive director, UAB University Hospital, Birmingham, Alabama, has received the Alabama Hospital Association's 2001 Distinguished Service Award. He also has been named to the association's board of trustees.

Shelly A. Haggard (Indiana Pressler Memorial Chapter) has been promoted from marketing representative to marketing director at Mutual Hospital Services, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana.

Connie F. Prewitt (Colorado Chapter) has been appointed CFO, Montrose Memorial Hospital, Montrose, Colorado. She had been CFO and interim co-CEO, Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center, Salida, Colorado.

Stan R Moser, MBA (Montana Chapter), has joined Deaconess Billings Clinic, Billings, Montana, as vice president and CFO. Previously, he was CFO of Providence Health Systems Northwest Washington Service Area Everett, Washington.

Sally I. Nelson, CPA (Texas Gulf Coast Chapter), CFO, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas, has been named one of 40 finalists in CFO magazine's national 2001 CFO Excellence Awards. She achieved this distinction during the first year that CFOs of not-for-profit organizations became eligible for the awards. The other finalists include CFOs for The Walt Disney Company Southwest Airlines, General Mills, Washington Mutual Inc., and J. P. Morgan Chase.

"I am honored to be recognized, but could not have achieved this without the support of our dedicated and talented team at Texas Children's," Nelson said. "I appreciate the efforts of everyone who makes Texas Children's the remarkable organization it is today."

When Nelson joined Texas Children's in 1986, the hospital had an operating loss of about $17 million. Nelson built an operating team that now leads one of the most financially secure pediatric hospitals. Among her recent accomplishments is providing guidance for Texas Children's largest capital project to date, a $345 million expansion that included a 15-story addition to the hospital and the construction of the 16-story Texas Children's Clinical Care Center.

"I cannot think of a CFO more deserving," said Mark A. Wallace, president and CEO for Texas Children's. "She has done an outstanding job over the past 15 years, and her contribution to Texas Children's has been instrumental to the success we have enjoyed."

"Sally Nelson is one of the most outstanding individuals I have ever met from both a professional and personal standpoint," said Ralph D. Feigin, MD, physician-in-chief at Texas Children's and president and CEO at Baylor College of Medicine. "She has been, and continues to be, a wonderful asset to the organization."

The awards program celebrates the accomplishments of CFOs who have made significant contributions to their organizations and who exemplify the highest levels of achievement in finance. Nelson is a finalist in the managing external stakeholders category. She qualified because of her accomplishments in managing the expectations and relationships with the community and community leaders, government leaders, Baylor College of Medicine, in-house and communitybased physicians, patients' families, hospital personnel, Texas Children's board of trustees, and the investment market.