REDIGER WINS MISSOURI HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION AWARD

Harry Rediger, chairman of the board of directors of St. Francis Medical Center, received the Missouri Hospital Association's Excellence in Governance Award.

Rediger was one of four Missourians to receive the award, which recognizes individuals who are active in their community and instrumental in hospital governance. Rediger received the award at MHA's annual Spring Leadership Forum.

"I feel very honored and quite surprised to receive this award," said Rediger, who has been a member of the St. Francis board since 1990 and chairman for the past three years. During that time he has represented St. Francis and health care in Southeast Missouri to local, state and national policymakers.

"We've been supporters of St. Francis since we moved here," said Rediger, who came to Cape Girardeau as manager of JCPenney, a job he held for 21 years.

His retirement in 1997 left him even more time for the volunteering he loves.

"Volunteer work and serving others have always been a part of my life and will continue to be so," Rediger said.

"Harry is far from someone who can be perceived as retired," said Steven C. Bjelich, president and chief executive officer of St. Francis. "He has taken a full-time job of nurturing the growth of Cape Girardeau based on his commitment to the community and the organizations that serve it."

Rediger is serving or has served on a number of boards, including United Way, Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, Greater Cape Girardeau Development Corp., Cape Girardeau County Chapter of the American Red Cross, Boy Scouts, Southeast Missouri State University Foundation and Area Industrial Recruitment Association. He also has served on the Cape Girardeau Board of Education, Cape Girardeau County mental health tax board and Cape Girardeau Planning and Zoning Commission. He is a past president of the Cape West Rotary Club and a lay member of Missouri East Conference of the Methodist Church.

"Throughout my life I have enjoyed serving others," said Rediger. "There are a lot of rewards doing volunteer work."