On November 21, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center honored its longest serving employees at the 51st Annual Employee Recognition Ceremony. Staff gathered together at The Inn at Penn, stepping away from the busy hospital to celebrate their milestones with a delicious lunch and mocktails playfully named for the three highest achievers – a fruity “Juan Island Iced Tea” named for clinical nurse educator Juan Mercado, MSN, BS, RN-BC, a sweet strawberry “MargaRita” for Radiology clerk Rita Woods, and a bright and fresh “Glorito Mojito” for 5 South’s Gloria Weaver, CNA.
Juan Mercado, Rita Woods, and Gloria Weaver show off their $1,000 recognition checks with CEO Michele Volpe
This year’s ceremony theme was “Watch Us Grow,” and after CEO Michele Volpe offered a warm welcome, keynote speaker Ana Pujols McKee, MD, was invited to reflect on the growth of PPMC’s services, staff, and impact. Before becoming the executive vice president and chief medical officer of The Joint Commission, McKee served as PPMC’s chief medical officer and associate executive director. She fondly recalled memories of her time at Presby, reflected on the evolution of PPMC and the health system as a whole, and urged everyone to never underestimate the impact they have on their patients, their colleagues, and the safety, quality, and progress of the hospital.
PPMC leaders then recognized all 252 honorees who had reached important career milestones: 76 staff members celebrating five years, a whopping 102 staff members who reached 10 years, 32 staff who hit 15 years, 16 who reached 20 years, 12 celebrating 25 years, 6 who hit 30 years, and 5 who reached 35 years. The afternoon’s VIPs were given special recognition for their years of service. Mercado, who started as a hospital orderly, and Woods, who began in Food & Nutrition Services, have been dedicated to PPMC’s success for four decades, and Weaver has been a hospital staple for an incredible 45 years after getting her start in housekeeping.
Ana Pujols McKee, MD, reflects on her time at PPMC
As they presented these veterans, the leaders also sprinkled in fun facts from the years that each group began their work at PPMC. For example, when Mercado and Woods started at Presby in 1977, a gallon of gas cost a mere 65 cents, and Rocky snagged the Academy Award for Best Picture. When Weaver was hired in 1972, the Scheie Eye Institute had just opened its doors, and Roberta Flack’s soulful “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” was the number one song.
"Whether they're just starting their Penn journey, or they've been with us for decades, our employees are at the core to PPMC's success," said Volpe. "Our dedicated staff give their all every day, overcoming challenges and providing extraordinary patient care. This event offers us a time to recognize those efforts and say thank you for their commitment to excellence."