Member News Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 1, 2005
Childerguild to recognize John Leach & Keyton Nixon at ball Nov. 19
The Childerguild will host its 77th annual Ball Saturday, Nov. 19 at Bolingbrook Golf Club. The evening's festivities will include the presentation of the annual Silver Cross Sangmeister Medal of Excellence for community service to Joliet home builder and local historian John Leach and the Silver Cross Sehring Medal of Excellence for Healthcare to former Silver Cross President Keyton Nixon.
The Childerguild Ball will begin with cocktails at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m. and dancing to the music of Nightshift. Tickets are per person and include an open bar. Black-tie is optional. Proceeds will benefit the newly renovated Level II Nursery at Silver Cross Hospital, which Childerguild has pledged ,000 to fund. Call the Silver Cross Foundation at (815) 740-7105 to make reservations.
The Silver Cross Sehring Medal of Excellence, honoring the memory of George H. Sehring, M.D.-a dedicated physician who served the community for more than 40 years, recognizes the accomplishments of an outstanding individual for service to the health care profession. Past recipients include Daniel Gutierrez, M.D., Richard Tarizzo, M.D., Wylie Mullen, M.D., Samuel Goldhaber, M.D., Lora McGuire, R.N., and Bun Siu Co, M.D.
The 2005 recipient is former Silver Cross Hospital President and Chief Operating Officer, Keyton Nixon. Nixon served Silver Cross Hospital for 20 years retiring in1990. Through his vision to provide convenient, quality healthcare, Nixon transformed the then small community hospital into a network of satellite facilities throughout the southwest suburbs bringing medicine out to the communities that Silver Cross serves. During his tenure, Nixon developed the hospital's home health, chemical dependency, radiation therapy, and paramedic training programs. He built the Hershman Medical Arts Building and the Francis Pavilion, which today houses the majority of the hospital's patient care beds. As a champion for convenient healthcare, Nixon also saw a need for dialysis care close to home opening 3 dialysis stations on the hospital's campus. Today, Silver Cross is the largest provider of dialysis services in Will and Grundy Counties with 3 locations and 44 treatment stations including a 12-station addition to Silver Cross Renal West.
Nixon was an advocate in working with other local businessmen and community leaders to put in motion one of the nation's most noticeable comebacks from an era of hard times in the greater Joliet area. He helped to start the Will Grundy "free" Medical Clinic, served as President of the Will County Center for Economic Development, as a member of the board of directors Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Salem Village. He served on the College of St. Francis' Special Advisory Committee and United Way. And for his leadership, the Boy Scouts recognized him with its Silver Beaver Award-the highest award given by the Rainbow Council. Upon his retirement, Keyton was inducted into the Joliet Will County Hall of Pride.
"Keyton Nixon serves as a roll model for all of us in the healthcare industry," comments Paul Pawlak, President and CEO of Silver Cross Hospital. "Without his strong determination and clear vision-especially during the tough economic times, Silver Cross would not be one of the 100 top hospitals in the country today. For this, we are truly grateful."
The Silver Cross Sangmeister Medal of Excellence will also be awarded at the Childerguild Ball. This Medal of Excellence is named after former U.S. Congressman George E. Sangmeister and is awarded to a leading citizen recognized for competence, service and dedication in a field other than health care that contributes to the common good. The recipient exemplifies the values of caring service that is the cornerstone of Silver Cross Hospital. Past recipients include Doug Hutchison, Gladys Fox, Laverne and Dorothy Brown, Frank Margaron, Pam Heavens, and Rev. Isaac Singelton Sr.
This year's recipient is one of the largest home developers in Illinois and a pioneer in bringing good, affordable housing to the greater Joliet area in the early 1950s. Since then, John Leach has helped more than 5,000 families build their first homes as well as provide the needed infrastructure within the community. However, developing the area has always been as important to Leach as preserving it. He has donated and installed many historic plaques and markers in the area telling stories of Joliet's rich history for future generations. He has also been instrumental in preserving two of the area's oldest cemetaries on the city's eastside-Oakwood and Cherry Hill. Leach is also a conservationist helping to restore the Birdhaven Greenhouse. But his generosity doesn't stop in Joliet-it spans oversees as Leach is an ongoing supporter of the Himalayan Cataract Project, which provides over 100,000 free eye surgeries a year to the people of Napal.
"John Leach is certainly a Renaissance man," comments Pawlak. "Just like other Renaissance men, John has left an unprecedented impact on our society that will long be treasured."
The Silver Cross Foundation is accepting nominations through Dec. 31, 2005 for the 2006 Silver Cross Medals of Excellence. For more information, call (815) 740-7105.