Each year, an exceptional staff member and leader are singled out from Sarasota Memorial Health Care System’s 10,000-member team as the EXCEL Employee and Leader of the Year.
Employee of the Year
A committee of past EXCEL winners had the difficult task of selecting just one Employee of the Year from last year's EXCEL Employee of the Month award-winners.
The winner of the prestigious honor is Paul Wroblewski, Biomed Engineer Equipment Tech III in Biomedical Engineering Services.
Wroblewski has worked at SMH since 1992, and the nominations submitted by his colleagues emphasize that he has consistently excelled in every aspect of his job performance for more than three decades. Co-workers greatly admire his wealth of knowledge and expertise, as well as his dedication to maintaining patient care equipment to the highest standards. Staff regularly seek his assistance with highly technical systems, particularly specialized cardiovascular equipment.
Colleagues also note that he takes great pride in the equipment he services, knowing the device will have an impact on a patient’s life. As his team members frequently say, “Paul is the best!”
Leader of the Year
Each year, Sarasota Memorial also recognizes a manager or director who demonstrates exceptional excellence in leadership.
The health system's new Leader of the Year is Melissa Shelton, PhD, RN, Director of Education, Professional Development, Nursing Quality & Research.
Dr. Shelton has been a member of Team SMH since 2015. Colleagues who nominated her for the award describe her as a brilliant and transformational leader who supports employees' personal and professional growth and motivates staff to be highly successful.
She also plays a critical role in promoting teamwork and excellence throughout the entire organization. Many departments call upon her for brainstorming and guidance in developing new processes. She is always willing to jump in and assist, while maintaining the highest level of quality in her own day-to-day responsibilities. She also ensures that staff members are continually apprised of important bedside practice changes, supply updates and educational opportunities.
As one colleague said, "Melissa inspires others to do better, be better and facilitates true joy in the workplace!"
The EXCEL Program was established in 1986 by former Sarasota County Public Hospital Board member Jim Tollerton to recognize outstanding employees. He continues to fund the program through the Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation.