Hudson Valley Hospital Center Announces Honorees for 50th Annual Ball on November 6

Sept. 23, 2010 - PRLog -- A retired investment banker, a respected physician and members of the Hudson Valley Hospital Center Auxiliary will be honored on November 6 at Hudson Valley Hospital Center’s 50th Annual Ball.

“Ritmo de la Noche: A Escape to Havana” will be held at Trump National Golf Club in Briarcliff Manor. Cocktails, dinner, dancing, and a silent auction will add to the evening’s Latin theme.  The silent auction this year offers a vast array of items, including jewelry, spa and vacation packages. Tickets are $500 and proceeds will go to fund the final stage of its “Building on Excellence” campaign, which includes the construction of a state-of-the-art cancer center. For information on tickets and journal ads visit www.hvhc.org or call 734-3862.

“Hudson Valley Hospital Center is fortunate to have such loyal supporters as those individuals being honored this year as part of our 50th Annual Ball,’’ said Hudson Valley Hospital Center President John C. Federspiel. “They are remarkable people who have given so much to this Hospital and to the community. We are truly in their debt.’’

This year’s honorees are:
•Rodman D. Patton of Garrison is a member of the Hospital’s Foundation Board and a past vice president and treasurer. An investment banker, Mr. Patton retired from Wall Street in 2000 after a long career with Credit Suisse First Boston and later with Merrill Lynch, providing merger, acquisition and divestiture services to the oil and gas industry. He remains involved in the industry as a director of Apache Corporation and NuStar Energy L.P. An officer in the U.S. Navy from 1965-69, Mr. Patton received a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the Wharton School of Finance. Mr. Patton has been a major supporter of the Hospital since receiving lifesaving care at Hudson Valley Hospital Center after severing his femoral artery in a backyard accident in 1984. Since that time, he has been a vocal and financial supporter of the Hospital, working to improve care and raise awareness in the Philipstown community about the need for quality medical care at HVHC. He and his wife, Christine, have lived in Garrison since 1979.

•William J. Higgins, M.D. is President of the Medical Staff at Hudson Valley Hospital Center. A trusted internist with a specialty in geriatric medicine, Dr. Higgins has been in private practice locally since he joined the Hospital in 1991. Dr. Higgins assumed another leadership role recently when he was appointed as the Medical Director of The Westchester Medical Practice, a multi-specialty medical group serving the needs of the Hudson Valley community. Since his election as President of the Medical staff at HVHC in 2006, Dr. Higgins has focused on establishing quality assurance initiatives reflected in a Joint Commission recognized Peer Review process as well as fundamental changes in Medical Staff bylaws. Dr. Higgins has remained active on the staff at HVHC serving on and chairing various committees.  His clinical interest is in the area of geriatric medicine and Alzheimer’s disease. He served as a Director of the Hudson Valley Alzheimer’s Association from 2005-2009. In 2008, he was appointed by the Governor to the New York State Council on Alzheimer’s disease and Related Dementias. In June of 2010, Dr. Higgins was presented with the Ellen Wood Healthcare Award of the Visiting Nurse Association of Hudson Valley, which recognizes innovation, leadership, and dedication in healthcare. He is currently enrolled in the Isenberg School of Management MBA program at UMASS Amherst. He lives in Peekskill with his wife, Ellen, a nurse practitioner with The Westchester Medical Practice, and son, Liam.  

•Hudson Valley Hospital Center Auxiliary. In 1960 a group of 12 community-minded women formed the HVHC Auxiliary to support the old Peekskill Hospital on South Street. Today the auxiliary is more than 275 men and women strong and continues to be the backbone of Hudson Valley Hospital Center. At the heart of the Hospital’s fundraising efforts, many of their fundraising methods – the White Cap Dinner Dance and the Coffee Break are forerunners of fundraising strategies still used today. Their efforts have touched every corner of the Hospital with improvements large and small - from the $1 million it contributed to the building campaign fund for the recent renovations to the money to purchase new wheelchairs, radiology equipment and art for the Art for Health project. The auxiliary also supports the community with its annual scholarship program, which to date has raised more than $124,000 for college scholarships to local high school students. They also raise funds for lesser known projects such as the gift of “onesies” to newborns, pens and pads for patients and special projects to fund amenities to make patients more comfortable. More than a fundraising arm, the Auxiliary adds a human touch with volunteers throughout the Hospital: in the gift shop at the front desk and even at blood pressure clinics in the community.

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Hudson Valley Hospital Center in Cortlandt Manor. NY provides quality, comprehensive medical care and state-of-the-art diagnostic treatment, education and preventive services. Call 914-737-9000 or visit www.hvhc.org We practice Patientology!