Nurse of the Year and Health Care Professional of the Year Named at Salute to Health Care Luncheon - Kingwood

Published: Jul 23, 2015, 11:00am

Recipients of the Healthcare Professional of the Year and Nurse of the Year awards, Vivien Bond and Russell Kaiser.

Vivien Bond was named Health Care Professional of the Year and Russell Kaiser was named Nurse of the Year at Lake Houston Area Chamber’s fifth annual Salute to Health Care Luncheon July 21. The luncheon was presented by Independent Bank and Kingwood Medical Center. Awards Sponsor was Harris County EMS.

Russell Kaiser, RN was named as the 2015 Nurse of the Year. He graduated from Sam Houston State University with a BSN and has recently been accepted to the MHA program at Texas Tech University in Lubbock. He has worked with the Texas Emergency Care Center team since 2011. He currently serves as the Emergency Preparedness Manager. As the preparedness manager he is responsible for company- wide disaster mitigation and preparedness activities. He is also a staff nurse with daily emergency room responsibilities and has been tasked with orientating new hire employees.

Kaiser is described by co-workers as being an invaluable part of Texas Emergency Care Center’s team. In addition to his hard work and commitment to Texas Emergency Care Center, Russell has led the way for freestanding Emergency Department’s with regard to emergency preparedness. He has worked countless hours preparing the three existing facilities to participate in regional preparedness drills and other exercises.

He served in the United States Navy for 10 years as Master-at-Arms for the Naval Security Forces. Russell considers his highest achievement to date to be the day he received news of becoming a Registered Nurse.

Kaiser volunteers in many capacities throughout the community such as a camp nurse for Stoney Creek Ranch, Houston Chevron Marathon, BEAResource for kids, the South Texas Regional Advisory Council and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Vivien Bond, MA named 2015 Health Care Professional of the Year. Bond graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University with a bachelor’s degree in social work and from the University of Houston – Clear Lake with a master’s degree in business. For the past five years, Vivien has worked for Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital holding the current title of Service Line Administrator. She is responsible for the business development and operations of the orthopedic/sports medicine and neuroscience service line. Vivien also serves as the lead for physician recruitment and also oversees marketing and volunteer departments within the hospital.

Bond has played a critical role in the development of much-needed medical specialties to the Lake Houston Area including orthopedic surgeon and neurosurgeon as well as primary care physicians specializing in adults and children. She has assisted in the opening of several major medical facilities, the Convenient Care Center at Summer Creek and the Memorial Hermann Medical Group Town Center Clinic in Kingwood.

She considers her highest career achievement to date to be the CEO of a start-up Select Specialty Hospital in Conroe which became the fastest growing start up hospital for the company. She considered her next “most proud” career achievement to be when she moved to an under-performing hospital as CEO and with the support of her amazing team, helped to turn it around to a productive, safe hospital. A year and a half later, this hospital was recognized as a “Hospital of Excellence.”

Bond has integrated herself deeply into the community, participating in a diverse assortment of activities. She is a graduate of Leadership Lake Houston. She has served on various Lake Houston Area Chamber committees and is a member of the Humble ISD Foundation Board and the Humble Area Assistance Ministries Board of Directors. She is the proud mother of two children, Elizabeth and Nicholas and the very proud stepmother to Kaylee.

Finalists for Nurse of the Year include: Kenya Fair-Egbonwonu, ICON Hospital; Kelly Freeman, Kingwood Medical Center and Russell Kaiser, Texas Emergency Care Center.

Finalists for Health Care Professional of the Year include: Vivien Bond, Memorial Hermann Northeast, Dr. Bernard Gallacher, United States Anesthesia Partners and Rhonda Sandel, Texas Emergency Care Center.

Salute to Health Care photos are available on the Chamber’s Facebook page, facebook.com/lakehoustonareachamber or by emailing chamber@lakehouston.org.

The Salute to Health Care Luncheon honors the health care community and recognizes the great impact the industry has in the Lake Houston Area. Nominees and recipients are individuals whose acts of service display dedication to excellence in their area of expertise beyond the scope of their jobs. They exemplify commitment to their profession and community, serving as an inspiration to others in an effort to improve the quality of healthcare and discover new ways to assist those in need.

The Salute to Health Care Luncheon was presented by Independent Bank and Kingwood Medical Center. Platinum Sponsor was Texas Emergency Care Center; Awards Sponsor was Harris County EMS and Gold Sponsors were ICON Hospital, Kingwood Pines Hospital and Memorial Hermann Northeast. The next Salute to Health Care Luncheon will be held Summer 2016. For information, visit LakeHouston.org or call 281-446-2128.