CATEGORY: ACHIEVEMENTS IN HER FIELD
In her time with Rockwell Collins, Cindy Dietz has defined and guided Rockwell Collins’ strategic focus in community relations activities. When Rockwell Collins spun off from its parent Rockwell International in 2001, Cindy was responsible for creating the Rockwell Collins Charitable Corporation, the philanthropic vehicle for Rockwell Collins’ in Iowa and around the country. Cindy is responsible for directing the corporation on a daily basis, researching non-profit organizations making grant requests, making recommendations on project funding, and evaluating program success. She also coordinates the employee Matching Gift Program, the Green Communities Environmental Program, and the University Grants Program. Cindy helped launch the Rockwell Collins’ Education Access to Computer Technology Center, a computer refurbishing and donation program, and organize the Rockwell Collins Retiree Volunteer organization. Along with the K-12 Business Education Partnership, these programs serve as the cornerstones of Rockwell Collins’ community relations activities. Cindy also served as Chair of the Iowa Mathematics & Science Coalition, advocating for excellence in math and science education locally and nationwide. By keeping a strategic focus, relying on guidance and information from employees, and staying in touch with community leaders, Cindy manages Rockwell Collins’ community involvement with enthusiasm, professionalism and integrity.

Beth Houlahan
Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services, Mercy Medical Center
CATEGORY: ORGANIZATIONAL IMPACT IN A NON-PROFIT
As Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services, Beth Houlahan works to fully engage nursing and patient care services staff members in careers at Mercy while creating the best possible experience for every patient. Beth led the collaborative effort to create quality initiatives to ensure excellent, standardized, evidence-based approaches to patient care delivery across the hospital. In this role she has overseen and helped implement several major initiatives at Mercy. The most recent is Mercy’s Nurse Graduate Residency Program, which is the first in Iowa and enhances Mercy’s commitment to developing and supporting professional nurses. Beth encourages and expects the nursing staff to participate in patient care initiatives as she strives to keep them engaged and gain the insights of those with the most patient contact. Beth’s reassuring leadership provided the ultimate role model for nursing staff during the Flood of 2008, as nurses evacuated patients and prepared two weeks later to welcome patients back. Beth’s leadership was recognized when the Delta Group, which measures the quality of care provided by U.S. hospitals, awarded Mercy its National Medical Excellence Award in several categories. Beth is dedicated to motivating and recognizing those who take care of patients. She works to be a positive change agent, instilling confidence, providing constructive feedback, and serving as a role model as a female leader in a large organization.

Lisha Coffey
Director, Sales and Strategic Accounts, Alliant Energy 
CATEGORY: ORGANIZATIONAL IMPACT IN A FOR-PROFIT COMPANY 
In the fall of 2006 Lisha Coffey was named director of sales and strategic accounts for Alliant Energy. In this position she became responsible for leading a team of 50+ people, managing the utility’s relationship with 1,400 large accounts in Iowa and Minnesota, meeting energy-efficiency goals set by state regulators, renewing franchise agreements, and contributing to the company’s bottom line. This highly visible and pressure-filled position proved to be the perfect fit for Lisha. She took time to meet with each of her team members as well as representatives from supporting departments to learn about their responsibilities, hear their ideas, and build relationships. She also toured several customer facilities and took time to get first-hand information on what customers needed/wanted from her account management team. Armed with information, enthusiasm and determination, she built a strategic plan that led her team to surpass its aggressive goals in 2007 and again in 2008, despite challenges brought on by the flood and a struggling economy. Good relationships are at the heart of every effective leader. Lisha embodies a deeply caring approach to others, seeing people as the greatest of assets. She invests her time and interest in helping others, learning from them and growing with them. She is a true innovator and change agent who works every day to have a positive impact on the company, her employees and the community.

Liz Selk
Director, Heritage Area Agency on Aging 

CATEGORY: SERVICE AND SUPPORT TO COMMUNITY OR COUNTRY
Liz Selk has dedicated her life to serving frail and at-risk individuals and their caregivers in the community. Her career began at the Council on Aging (now Aging Services, Inc.). She was then recruited to develop an Alzheimer’s Association chapter in Cedar Rapids, eventually partnering with community organizations and businesses to open two satellite offices to provide patient and caregiver support services to a 19-county area. She served as the first director of the Healthy Linn Care Network before becoming director at the Heritage Area Agency on Aging, where she has fostered an environment of collaboration, communication and support. Liz has always been at the forefront of innovative approaches to meeting the needs of people in our community. Currently, she provides leadership as part of the Johnson County Consortium of Successful Aging Advisory Board, a group that is developing a model to support livable communities for all ages. During the devastating Flood of 2008, she fostered unprecedented collaboration with the Federal Administration on Aging and the aging network to address the needs of older adults. Through her work she has ushered in a culture of partnership that has enabled the aging network continue to develop despite diminishing federal and state support. Because of her leadership our region has the most vibrant case management, elder abuse prevention, health prevention and promotion, and senior nutrition program in the state.


Shelly Hite
Nurse, Pulmonary Medicine Center, Mercy Medical Center 

CATEGORY: UNSUNG HEROINE
Shelly Hite has poured her heart and soul into the success and sustainment of the new BMV/eMAR safety and quality initiative, a bedside medication scanning system that ensures medications are administered safely. Shelly played an active part in the planning stages of this ground-breaking initiative and has been a major factor in Mercy’s successful implementation of the first such system in Cedar Rapids. She was available during all three nursing shifts as a “super user,” a designated BMV/eMAR trainer, as various units went live with the innovative technology with a carefully planned roll-out strategy. She helped promote a positive attitude about this huge change in care delivery and maintains close contact with the users to ensure the system’s continued success. Not only was Shelly able to take on this very large task, she did it while maintaining her duties as a shift supervisor. Shelly has always been committed to enhancing quality and increasing efficiency as evidenced by her participation in several events intended to improve hospital systems and efficiency. She has been committed to Mercy her whole career, exhibiting outstanding standards in her interactions with physicians, staff and visitors and earning the respect of all. Most noteworthy are her compassion for the needs of the patient and her advocacy for the quality care provided at Mercy. Shelly truly works for TEAM MERCY, not for herself or recognition.