Kohlfeld, former Cape County auditor honored at dinner

SoutheastHEALTH honored civic leaders at the Southeast Hospital Association annual dinner Thursday at the Show Me Center.

Around 700 association members and guests attended.

The Southeast Hospital Board of Trustees presented Kohlfeld Distributing Inc. with the Special Service Award. Mike Kohlfeld, son of founder Leo Kohlfeld, accepted the award. He has served on the board of trustees for 20 years and 15 years on the SoutheastHEALTH Foundation board. He is currently a director emeritus for the foundation. He said it was humbling to receive the award.

"The community is not entitled to a hospital," Kohlfeld said. "It is a privilege, and when you have that privilege you have to take care of it."

The late H. Weldon Macke was the recipient of the Outstanding Service Award. Macke served as Cape Girardeau County auditor for 34 years. He was on the board of trustees from 1982 until 2004, when he took honorary status. Macke and his wife, Bonnie, supported the Southeast

Board chairman Al Spradling speaks at SoutheastHEALTH's annual dinner Thursday, April 19. (ADAM VOGLER)

HEALTH Foundation as members of Million Dollar Club and 21st Century Partners. She said her husband would have been proud to receive the award.

The theme for this year's dinner was "The Difference is How You're Treated."

"It is our motto right now," board of trustees chairman Al Spradling III said. "It is how we care for our customers."

He said he thought the Kohlfelds and Mackes would embrace the motto.

"It is a tribute to them, but it is also a tribute to what the hospital has committed itself to," Spradling said.

The featured speaker for the evening was John Bardis, founder and CEO of MedAssets. He discussed the future of health care.

"Health care is getting ready to go through a traumatic financial and incentives shift" because of federal health care reform, Bardis said.

Bardis said it is important for the community to understand the implications of the shift.

Spradling recognized the 30th anniversary of the Hazel Harrison Strickler Scholarship, the first and largest scholarship fund at Southeast Missouri State University.

"Her legacy of generosity has benefited hundreds of nursing students over the years," Spradling said.

A video was presented honoring SoutheastHEALTH employees who received the O.D. Niswonger Spirit of Southeast Award in the past year. The recipients were James Alpers, Roxie Davis, Claudette Hency, Karla Huck, Sherry Welker and Glenda Scheper.

The association welcomed new trustees Pete Poe and Dr. August Ritter III. They also recognized re-elected board members Ilena Aslin, Robert Erlbacher II, Cliff Ford, T. Ronald Hahs, Jay Knudtson and Jerry Zimmer. Officers are board chairman Al Spradling, first vice chairman John Thompson and secretary/treasurer Robert G. Neff.

ajones@semissourian.com

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