JERRY & MARY SAUER
The Camas-Washougal Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Riverview Community Bank, has named Jerry and Mary Sauer as 2016 Business Persons of the Year.
The Sauers founded Excavator Rental Services (ERS) in 2005, and the company has been a member of the Camas-Washougal Chamber since 2006.
Last year, ERS purchased Your Rental and Party Center in Hood River. In December, the company opened a showroom called Your Party and Event Center (YPEC) in Camas. Last month, ERS opened a branch office in Wilsonville, OR.
As of early this year, ERS had more than 32 employees in Camas alone.
In addition to being active at the chamber, the Sauers are member of the Downtown Camas Association. They also assist several organizations in the community (Port of Camas-Washougal, Camas High Boosters, etc.) through sponsorships and donations.
The chamber will honor the Sauers during an awards banquet at the Camas Meadows Golf Club on Wednesday, June 1. For more information about the event, call 360.834.2472.
KIMBERLY HODGKINSON
Kimberly Hodgkinson is joining the PeaceHealth health system as executive vice president and chief financial officer.
Hodgkinson is joining PeaceHealth from St. Vincent’s HealthCare in Jacksonville, Fla., where she served as chief financial officer. Prior to that, Hodgkinson served as senior vice president and CFO for St. Mary’s Health in Evansville, Ind.
“We are truly excited about having Kim serve our health care ministry and our communities,” said Liz Dunne, PeaceHealth president and chief executive officer. “She is a strong cultural fit for our organization, with a proven background as a Catholic healthcare financial executive leader.”
In addition to her financial background, Hodgkinson has led multiple strategic and operational initiatives at Ascension and throughout her healthcare career including:
- Electronic health record implementation
- Supply chain/new products
- Revenue cycle standardization
- Value-based managed care negotiations
- Partnership development
- Predictive pricing pilot program for patients
“I am delighted by the opportunity to join PeaceHealth,” Hodgkinson said in a press release. “I admire the organization’s deeply held commitment to mission and to community benefit. I have to say that community benefit programs hold a special place in my heart, and it’s exciting to see PeaceHealth’s rigorous focus on engaging our communities, patients, providers and caregivers through our mission work.”
Hodgkinson holds joint master’s degrees from Western Michigan University: an MBA in finance and an MA in nuclear physics.
Her first day at PeaceHealth will be June 13.
CAROLINE MELHUISH
Caroline Melhuish, community corrections specialist at the West Vancouver Community Justice Center, has won two awards from the state Department of Corrections. Melhuish won an Innovation Team award as well as an award for Employee of the Year.
The Innovative Team award is presented to a team of employees who contribute extraordinarily innovative ideas, methods, or services resulting in improvements to processes and programs that move the department forward.
The Employee of the Year award is presented to an employee who exemplifies excellence in public service; an employee who models the highest standard of ethics, professionalism and accountability while playing an important role in assisting the department in meeting its vision and mission.
Melhuish received the awards at the Department of Corrections Annual Agency Awards on Tuesday, May 3.
