Altoona Regional Health System is the 19th recipient of the Alexander A. Notopoulos Award by the Altoona-Blair County Development Corp.
The award is presented to companies that have a substantial business history, expanded facilities, grown employment levels, provided a family-sustainable income and demonstrated a sense of community. It was given Friday during the ABCD annual breakfast meeting at the Blair County Convention Center.
Chief Operating Officer Ron McConnell said he was humbled to accept the award on behalf of the health system's board of directors, physicians and employees.
"Back in 2004 when we merged, we promised the community a stronger health care system. I can tell you seven years later [that] our health system is stronger, of higher quality and more cost-effective. We are the envy of many communities; we have a world-class health care facility right here," McConnell said.
"I hope everyone knows the real gem and asset we have with the physicians and staff that we have here in this community," he said.
Altoona Regional is a charitable, not-for-profit health care system with more than 200 years of health care experience. It has more than 300 physicians, nearly 4,000 caregivers and 600 supportive volunteers.
Altoona Regional is currently nearing completion of consolidating all acute care services at the Altoona Hospital Campus.
It is also expanding inpatient surgical capacity at the Altoona Campus to accommodate community needs and facilitating an expansion into the former Altoona Center to house an inpatient behavioral health unit, information technology data center, wound care services and administrative offices.
The Notopoulos Award was created by Altoona Enterprises, now ABCD Corp., as a tribute to Notopoulos for the Altoona attorney's many years of dedicated service to Altoona Enterprises and the Altoona-Blair County area.
ABCD also presented the Richard L. McMaster Award to Stephen C. Metzger, director of business lending for the Southern Alleghenies Planning & Development Commission.
The award was created in 2005 as a special tribute to McMaster for his many years of dedicated service to ABCD and the Blair County Industrial Development Authority.
The Economic Development Partnership Awards were presented to the Nehemiah Project in Altoona and Operation Our Town.
A special recognition award was presented to retiring Blair County Commissioner Donna D. Gority, who has been an advocate for human services since she became a commissioner in 1984.
"Economic development is the best human service. Keep up the good work and you will always have my support," Gority said.
