Stephens County Hospital Names 2009 Employee of Year

9/10/2009

A long-time employee at Stephens County Hospital receives an honor from his peers. Tuesday night at the annual Service Awards Banquet, Stephens County Hospital Administrator Ed Gambrell named Ray Willis as the 2009 Employee of the Year. Willis is the Director of the Stephens County EMS service.

Gambrell said hospital employees select one of their own yearly to win the award. “What we do is during the summer, hospital employees vote on the Employee of the Year and it is the employee who best exemplifies the caring spirit of Stephens County Hospital,” he said. According to Gambrell, Willis received the most votes from fellow employees by far.

The administrator said that no person more exemplified the standard for an employee of the year over the last 12 months than Willis. “Ray is always willing to lend a hand and help in any way he can,” said Gambrell. “To make it even a little more touching, Ray is retiring at the end of this year, so I really think Ray was a great choice.”

Willis has worked with Stephens County EMS since 1972, which almost covers the entire existence of the ambulance service, which came into being back in 1969. As the director of the EMS, Gambrell said Willis sets the tone for what the hospital administrator calls an outstanding department.

“He encourages his employees to take an ownership in the EMS and it shows because we really have a top-notch service here,” he added. According to Gambrell, Willis was “speechless” at the announcement.