When Grace Wakulchik was a Cuyahoga Falls High School student considering a career in health care, a friend’s mother introduced her to a nurse who had earned her master’s degree. At the time, most nurses were trained in hospital-based schools and not colleges. But Grace took her advice and enrolled at Case Western Reserve University. “She suggested that I get a bachelor’s degree in nursing and then a master’s, and that was a big influence in […]
Gloria Roy’s retirement plans include family time and puttering on her pontoon
When Gloria Roy, executive assistant at Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley, joined Children’s, she took a leap of faith. For more than 25 years she had worked in restaurant operations management and knew little about hospital administration. But she believed in herself. “I believe everyone has their gifts and what they contribute to work and […]
Gayle Zimmerman is ready to turn her efforts toward a fun-filled retirement
Anyone who has played organized sports has likely heard the saying, “There is no ‘I’ in ‘team’.” The idea of people pulling together to achieve a common goal makes sense to Gayle Zimmerman, coordinator, accreditation. “I knew I could never be a nurse,” Gayle said. “I’m definitely not a ‘medical’ person, but I knew I […]
Meet Grace Wakulchik, President and Chief Executive Officer
Grace Wakulchik, president and chief executive officer (CEO), is the type of person who always sees the bigger picture. In fact, she first demonstrated her business acumen at age 10, when she realized she was being underpaid (25 cents a loaf!) for her homemade bread. As a staff nurse, she wanted to help solve organizational […]
Grace Wakulchik named woman of distinction by Girl Scouts
Congratulations to Grace Wakulchik, president and CEO, for being named one of the Girl Scouts of North East Ohio’s 2019 Women of Distinction. This year’s award recipients were selected for their achievements as business, community and civic leaders dedicated to supporting opportunities for women and girls. The awards, which were established to help raise funds […]
Karen Ingram named 2018 Distinguished Service Award recipient
It’s only appropriate during her 40th year of working at the hospital that Karen Ingram, patient service representative, Locust Pediatrics Care Group, was named the 40th person to receive the hospital’s prestigious Distinguished Service Award (DSA). Every year since 1979, the DSA has been presented to an employee or volunteer who has made outstanding contributions […]