Sparks Health System CEO headlines Women of Vision Luncheon

 

story and photos by Ruby Dean
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More than 200 women and men came out to support the Girls Inc. of Fort Smith on Tuesday (June 28) at the annual Women of Vision 2011 Luncheon held at the Holiday Inn City Center.

The event featured a silent auction, 50/50 drawing, and featured remarks from Melody Trimble, CEO of Sparks Health System. Tickets were $25 per person with corporate sponsor tables for 10 going for $300. The event benefits the Girls Inc. of Fort Smith.

Girls Inc. provides programs specifically designed for girls, ages 6-18. Such programs focus on science, math and relevant technology, career development, economic literacy, preventing adolescent pregnancy, and the development of athletic skills. Girls Inc. provides services through after-school, summer and sports programs to 1,300 girls in six counties. A United Way agency, Girls Inc. empowers girls to discover their talents, voice their opinions and become agents of change within the community.

Lunch consisted of baked chicken smothered with pepper corn sauce, green beans, garden salad, new potatoes, and dessert of choice of lemon torte or butter finger torte. After lunch was finished, final call was made on the silent auction items.

SuzAnn Spindor, executive director of Girls Inc. of Fort Smith, welcomed everyone to the annual event and gave opening remarks. After lunch, Dana Craig, board president of Girls Inc. of Fort Smith, introduced Trimble.

Trimble joined Sparks Hospital in the fall of 2009, after the hospital was purchased by Naples, Fla.-based Health Management Associates.

Prior to arriving in Fort Smith, Trimble served as the CEO of Venice Regional Medical Center since 2005, when HMA bought the financially troubled 312-bed hospital in Venice, Fla. She received a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Eastern Kentucky University, and earned a master’s in nursing at the University of Kentucky. She joined HMA in 1991.

In her remarks, she discussed the importance that “your word is your word. Integrity is everything. You need to be yourself.” She has told others “if you don’t like me, it’s OK, because I like me.”

Trimble also mentioned she is a "girly girl.” She likes the frills and ribbons. Each table had a goody bag she personally put together of things she likes — such as Skittles. She tied ribbons around each of these bags herself. She also made other little goody bags that contained such things as fingernail polish.