Hartford Hospital recognized five physicians with the hospital’s annual medical staff awards.
Dr. David Mintell and Dr. J. John Straub received the Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes extraordinary and sustained contributions to the health and welfare of the citizens of our community. Mintell, an internist and an assistant clinical professor of medicine and active in medical student education, was honored for his leading role in the adoption of electronic medical records for office practices. Mintell has pushed to integrate such systems across the community to streamline patient care. Straub was honored as a pioneer in the Interventional Radiology Department. He instituted the “Legs for Life” public awareness and Peripheral Vascular Disease Screening program, the first of its kind in the region.
Dr. Henry Low received the Physician in Philanthropy Award for demonstrating exceptional care and concern for all of humankind. Low led the Hartford Hospital team that performed the first heart transplant in Connecticut in 1984.
Dr. Lenworth Jacobs received the John K. Springer Humanitarian Award for extraordinary qualities of compassion, civility, vision and integrity. Jacobs, director of the trauma unit, has trained trauma surgeons across the globe to repair traumatic injury and was integral in creating the Life Star Air Medical Program, which is celebrating its 25th year.
Dr. Amy K. Brown received the Young Practitioner Award for her role in starting and developing the robotic gynecological program into one of the largest and most respected programs in the country. Dr. Brown has developed a blood test for distinguishing malignant from benign ovarian masses and is actively involved in clinical trials funded by the National Cancer Institute.
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Sharon L. Vasquez, the dean of the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts at Wayne State University in Detroit, has been named the new provost at the University of Hartford. Vasquez will begin her new duties on Aug. 15. Vasquez has had a notable career as an artist, educator and academic leader.
At Wayne State University, Vasquez oversees the academic departments of art and art history, communication, dance, music and theater, while also having responsibility for the university art collection. She is widely acknowledged for successfully expanding development and alumni efforts during her six years at Wayne State.
Vasquez has served on numerous nonprofit boards, state arts councils, peer review panels and K-12 task forces. Vasquez is president-elect of the International Council of Fine Arts Deans and the past chair of the Commission on Accreditation for the National Association of Schools of Dance. She served previously as president of the Council of Dance Administrators and has also been active in ACE Michigan’s State Network for Women. She serves on the board of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
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Moraima Gutierrez has joined the staff of the Connecticut Small Business Administration. Gutierrez comes to SBA from a career in business media, most recently at Telemundo/ZGS Communications where she was station manager. She is a member of the board of trustees of the Harriett Beecher Stowe Center.
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Adeptra, a leader in automated two-way customer communications, has appointed Bill Brown as director of worldwide product marketing. Brown brings more than 20 years of experience in defining and managing customer relationship strategies and customer experience for some of the world’s largest companies. He has hands-on experience in devising and deploying strategies in the financial and card issuer space, having worked for Chordiant, MBNA America and Providian Financial Corp. Brown joins Adeptra from his position as director of WW Card Solutions for Chordiant Software.
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Micaela Connery, founder and executive director of Unified Theater, has been chosen as one of five finalists for the VH1 Do-Something Award and has received a $10,000 grant. Connery, 23, founded Unified Theater when she was a 15-year-old Conard High School student in West Hartford. Since 1996, DoSomething.org has honored individuals 25 and under who represent the pivotal “do-ers” in their field, cause, or issue. Connery was selected from over 600 organizations for Unified Theater’s contribution to communities. The five finalists are in the running to win a $100,000 grand prize. The winner will be announced July 19. The public can vote at http://dosomething.vh1.com.
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