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By Terry Lynn Bucknall, CRA
I joined AHRA at the 2003 Annual Meeting, not knowing anything about the organization. I’ve attended almost every Annual Meeting since, and every year I would see the recipients of the Award for Excellence, never dreaming that I would be in a position to even be nominated. I met Penny Olivi at that first meeting in Anaheim, and she became my first new friend in AHRA. The following year she received the Award for Excellence and that made the honor even sweeter.
I knew she truly deserved it just by how she went out of her way to make me feel welcome in the organization. She exemplified the kind of leader I strived to be. Penny was eventually elected and served as our AHRA 2008-2009 President. That set the bar for the award even higher.
As I recently looked at the list of past recipients, I saw many names of members that I know, as well as a lot of members I’ve never met. This list of names represents to me a group of people who are respected enough by their colleagues and teams at their facilities to be nominated for this huge honor. My hospital doesn’t have many AHRA members, so I was extremely surprised, humbled, and honored when I was nominated last year by two of my AHRA family members. I hope they know how much I appreciate their vote of confidence.
Receiving this distinction, and seeing my beautiful award every day in my office at work, I am reminded that I have a responsibility to continue to grow, serve my colleagues, and live up to standards of excellence, both as a leader of my team at my work and as a member of AHRA. I am truly humbled and blessed.
I urge you all to nominate a leader who exemplifies excellence every day and give them the kudos that they deserve!
Click here to learn more about the Award for Excellence and to nominate a colleague.
Terry Lynn Bucknall, CRA is the director, women’s imaging services at the Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital Sheila R. Veloz Breast Center in Valencia, CA. She can be reached at bucknalltl@henrymayo.com.
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