Palmetto Health Tuomey named Power Partner

"Connection is why we're here. Connection is the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard and valued and when they derive strength from the relationship." - Bren Brown, writer / researcher

Duke Energy champions collaboration, passion and partnership. For 25 years, the company has honored businesses and organizations with their Power Partner awards for exemplary innovation, community service, economic development and sustainability.

This year, Palmetto Health Tuomey was one of only six winners from the 4,000 eligible for the prestigious award.

The hospital was honored for Community Excellence for its work as a partner in a project to develop and implement a student career forum designed to connect students with businesses in Sumter County. This program has introduced more than 1,000 middle and high school students to 45 area businesses, sharing with them the requirements and benefits of a wide variety of careers. This program not only helps young people understand what it takes to obtain employment in the local workforce, but it also helps address employee recruitment challenges for businesses in Sumter County.

"It's amazing to sit in a room with so many people who care so much about building our community," said Palmetto Health Process Engineer Kimberly Rauschenbach, one of the individuals who made Palmetto Health Tuomey's partnership successful, at the announcement luncheon. She referred to the hospital executives, school representatives, Duke Energy team members and Tuomey Foundation director who were there to celebrate educational partnerships.

"We have the chance to touch so many lives. I'm grateful to work for an organization that makes education a priority and who believes it's not just the responsibility of the schools alone."

Duke Energy Senior Account Executive Dennis Turner said the Sumter hospital won the award for two prongs of its commitment to education: Physician Liaison Les Thompson was recognized for his "passionate mentorship" and his strong determination over the years to make the Student Career Leadership Forum a reality. Rauschenbach and the hospital's Marketing and Communications team were honored for their creation of a coloring book designed to teach young students about the many roles - clinical and non-clinical - in a hospital: "The ABCs of Health Care." A supply drive in which team members collected more than $10,000 worth of items to fill teachers' wish lists also was cited as evidence of the collaborative nature of the partnership with Lemira Elementary School.

"Tuomey was the recipient largely for their leadership in collaboration," Turner said. "They fully supported the partnership with the city of Sumter, Sumter School District, the South Carolina Department of Commerce (SCDOC) and Duke Energy to make the forums happen."

Dr. Brenda Hafner, Ed.D., assistant superintendent for Leadership and School Excellence for the school district, congratulated Palmetto Health Tuomey for "establishing and maintaining creative, quality partnerships to support Sumter's schools" and "making a positive difference for Sumter's children."

"The contributions you have made not only to the Sumter community but to our school system are immeasurable," she said. "You have donated more than $10,000 worth of school supplies, 200 library books, academic incentives and meals for students. Your team members serve as volunteers and mentors, members of the School Improvement Council, Principal for the Day, and they assist with the STEM Club. In addition, 91 second-grade students were ecstatic when Palmetto Health Tuomey unveiled their health care occupations activity book at an assembly where actual representatives featured in the book spoke directly to our students about future careers."

Hafner thanked Thompson, Turner, Brenda Golden of the SCDOC and the Sumter Chamber Education Committee for creating the student forum. "Forty students from each middle school, high school and the Sumter Career and Technology Center have the opportunity to explore careers right here in our community. A representative from Palmetto Health Tuomey actively participates in each forum. In its sixth year of implementation, imagine all of the lives that have been touched!"

Hafner added, "We are very appreciative to Palmetto Health Tuomey for investing in the lives of our children. As a Power Partner, you are leaving a lasting impression on the lives you have touched!"

Michelle Logan-Owens, the chief operating officer of Palmetto Health Tuomey, told the group how much Tuomey has enjoyed the collaboration.

"Each of us bears different gifts and talents, but when we come together around a common purpose - our children - we have our best opportunity to be positively impactful," she said. "This is our community, and we take our role as partner very seriously. Influencing the lives of our children is one of our greatest responsibilities."

Turner said that when he was first asked to chair the Education Committee, he was afraid it would be another "meet and greet" type meeting. He wanted to use his time wisely, "get things done."

He had no idea how much they would get done!

"Les Thompson was so passionate! Janet Clayton and Shelly Galloway of the Sumter School District helped us form the leadership forum to meet with students. For two-and-a-half hours each session, the students talked to six or seven diverse leaders and had tours of those leaders' companies afterward. What a great model this is!"

During each forum, professionals from business and industry in the local community lead roundtable discussions that emphasize the importance of education, qualities of a good employee, the need for good financial habits, traits of a lifelong learner and how character defines success. Thompson, Turner, Golden and other trained facilitators, including new Education Committee Chairman Lefford Fate, interweave a discussion on eight essential affirmations that students can use to help them be successful. Following the forum, each student has the opportunity to sign up for a site visit, which provides a firsthand look into that career.

Turner said the Chamber of Commerce believes this program is a model for a partnership that can be duplicated across the state.

"It's a privilege to celebrate Palmetto Health Tuomey and its collaborative stakeholders. We are inspired by your vision, your dedication and your successes," said Ronnie Taylor, manager of Large Accounts for Duke Energy. "We created this award to recognize our large business stakeholders who demonstrate true leadership and cultivate genuine partnerships with Duke. These businesses are taking risks that many would not take, believing that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. We hold in highest regard this small fraternity of businesses who invest in partnerships."