The New Jersey Hospital Association will celebrate the people and programs that deliver excellent care and compassionate service to New Jersey patients and communities at its Best at the Beach event July 13 in Long Branch.

Honors will be presented to hospitals and post-acute providers in more than 10 categories spanning clinical excellence, patient experience and diversity and inclusion. The evening’s top honor – the Lifetime Achievement Award – will be presented to Gary Horan, who recently retired from Trinitas Regional Medical Center, RWJBarnabas Health, after a three-decade career as a hospital CEO in the region.

In addition, NJHA will present its Legislator of the Year awards to Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald (D-Voorhees) and Senator Troy Singleton (D-Moorestown) for their sponsorship of the Health Care Heroes Violence Prevention Act.

“Best at the Beach is a celebration of the skilled, compassionate individuals who deliver top-quality healthcare that is recognized nationally,” said NJHA President and CEO Cathy Bennett. “It’s wonderful to have elected leaders, the business community and healthcare colleagues statewide come together to honor their contributions in an evening that is pure Jersey.”

Other Best at the Beach award winners are:

• Distinguished Service – Bob Segin, executive vice president and chief financial officer at Virtua Health, and Tom Biga, executive vice president and president of the Northwest Region for RWJBarnabas Health.
• Emeritus Prize – Lori Herndon, CEO (retired) of AtlantiCare, and Kevin Slavin, president and CEO of St. Joseph’s Health.
• Lifetime Achievement – Clinical Leadership: Walter Rosenfeld, MD, medical director of children’s health, Atlantic Health System
• Distinguished Service – Trustee: Frank Fekete, Board of Trustees Chair, Hackensack Meridian Health
• Clinical Excellence: Suzanne Spernal, DNP, APN-BC, senior vice president of women’s services, RWJBarnabas Health, and Dr. Bipinchandra Patel, FAAP, chairman of the Department of Pediatrics and physician-in-chief, The Children’s Hospital at St. Peter’s Healthcare System (posthumously)
• Healthy New Jersey Award – Center for Healing, Cooper University Health Care
• Excellence in Patient Experience: Patient Experience Team, Morristown Medical Center, and Southgate Special Care, Christian Health New Jersey
• Diversity and Inclusion Award: Social Equality Council, Valley Health System
• Innovation in Elder Services: Roberto Muñiz, President and CEO, Parker Health Group
• Emerging Leader Award – Diana Candelejo, Assistant Vice President for Economic Inclusion, Social Impact and Community Investment, RWJBarnabas Health, and William O’Connor, Executive Director at The Chelsea at Bald Eagle, Chelsea Senior Living
• Connect Award for Outstanding Communication: Shining a Light on Team Members, Hackensack Meridian Health, and “Class of 93” Colon Cancer Awareness Campaign, Virtua Health.

Senator Vin Gopal and Assembly members Marilyn Piperno and Kim Eulner, who represent Long Branch, have been invited to participate and will present proclamations to the honorees celebrating their achievements.

The award ceremony will take place on the beach at Ocean Place Resort and Spa on Thursday evening. The awardees will be honored in front of a crowd of their peers that includes hundreds of New Jersey’s top healthcare executives and policymakers.