Company: King's Daughters Medical Center
Company Description: King's Daughters Medical Center began in 1898 above a small, community drug store. Since then KDMC has grown to become a 385 bed, not-for-profit community hospital serving eastern Kentucky, southern Ohio, and western West Virginia. Under the leadership of President and CEO Fred Jackson, KDMC employs 4,000+ team members and is the area's largest employer.
Nomination Category: Human Resources Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Human Resources Department of the Year

Nomination Title: King's Daughters Medical Center Human Resources Team

Tell the story about what this nominated organization/department achieved since January 1 2008 (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

In 2008, KDMC was again named a Fortune ®Top 100 Company to Work for in America
as well as being ranked in the top five places to work in Healthcare by Modern
Healthcare Magazine.   KDMC has been honored 3 consecutive years as a Top 25
employer in Kentucky and 5 consecutive years as a 100 Top Hospital® by Thomson
Reuters, which objectively identifies the highest performing hospitals in the
nation.

KDMC is a customer-driven organization where all Team Members go by first name
with no titles on their name badges.

The HR Team coordinates programs and celebrations that total over $600 per Team
Member including $100 bills for special recognition. Their most innovative
approaches include:

A “Tacklebox” recognition program empowers supervisors with gift certificates
and awards for immediate recognition of Team Members who exceed performance
expectations. 

The KDMC Team Member Discount Guide provides savings at over 250 local
businesses.

Team Member Talent Show showcases diverse performances from throughout the
Medical Center with over $1,000 in prizes.
 
KDMC CEO regularly hosts “Food for Thought”, lunchtime feedback sessions with
randomly selected Team Members.

Team Members who work holidays may invite their families for free holiday meals
together in our restaurant.

To ensure that everyone is part of Team KDMC, an HR “Traveling Office” makes bi-
monthly visits to 20 off campus sites and twice monthly to evening and midnight
shifts.

Team Member referral award program pays out a net of over $20,000 annually to
Team Members who successfully recruit professionals for targeted positions. 
The award winner gets a surprise visit from the CEO and leadership team with
the “big check!”

KDMC’s computer purchase plan allows Team Members to payroll deduct a computer
system interest free over 18 months.

KDMC supports military reservists by making up the difference between active
military pay and the Team Member’s base pay.

The Share & Care Program will advance up to $5,000 for Team Members in
unexpected need, to be paid back interest free over five years. 

The HR Team hosts The Annual Family Fun Day for over 4,000 Team Members and
family for a free and exclusive celebration at a theme park with lunch and
prizes.

Two day NCAA March Madness celebration rewards all shifts with concessions and
giveaways while watching games on a 15’ screen.

The Hybrid Vehicle incentive nets Team Members a $1,000 check when purchasing a
new hybrid vehicle.

KDMC offers “Stork Parking”, a valet parking service for Team Members in their
third trimester of pregnancy. Also offered is an on-line car-pool matching
system, teen driver classes and red carpet service parking, where vehicles are
picked up for full-service and detail.

New parents receive a gift basket with items valued at over $130, a take-home
meal, and free subscription to New Parent Magazine.  

The on-site Child Development Center allows parents (and grandparents) the
flexibility of childcare, and offers “Parents’ Night Out” child care.

The adoption assistance plan reimburses up to $7,000 and $9,000 for special
needs children plus a free subscription to Adoptive Families.

List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:

http://www.kdmc.com/news/release.aspx?id=23736

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/2009/snapshots/45.html

http://www.bestplacestoworkky.com/

http://www.kdmc.com

Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the leader(s) of the nominated organization/department:

Larry Higgins
Vice President, Learning, Human Resources and Support Services
Larry Higgins serves as Vice President of Learning and Organizational
Development, Human Resources, and Support Services at King’s Daughters Medical
Center.  A native of Sandusky, Ohio, he holds a master’s degree in
Organizational Development from Bowling Green State University.
Larry’s leadership philosophy revolves around building an organizational team
that promotes respect, loyalty and empowerment.  He is convinced that the
cultural transformation to Team KDMC is what is moving a very good organization
to a great organization.  Larry leads by example- he has exceedingly high
standards, yet shows courtesy and respect to everyone he encounters on a daily
basis.