Blue Earth, MN – United Hospital District (UHD) recognized 37 employees celebrating
five and 10-year work anniversaries at their annual Service Recognition Luncheon, held at Average Jo’s
Restaurant. The 2022 honorees account for a combined 480 years of service. UHD CEO Rick Ash, who
emceed the event, noted that UHD’s success as a patient-focused organization is due in large part to
the commitment shown by these employees.
2022’s longest serving employee is Ronda Dahl, RN, who is celebrating her 45th year at UHD. Ronda has
worked in nearly every nursing department at UHD since she first started in 1977, including Operating
Room, Medical/Surgical, Emergency Room, Obstetrics and Special Care Unit. She’s also the staff
representative on UHD Foundation Board and served as Nurse Manager for 20+ years before returning
to nursing care, where her passion lies. Registered Nurse Jamie Ringness, who succeed Dahl as Nurse
Manager, noted, “Ronda’s feet may be little but those are actually huge shoes to fill.”
At the 30 year mark, IT Specialist Mary Hynes was recognized for having implemented many dramatic
technological changes during her tenure as IT manager. Current IT Manager Ivan Marte noted that
since Mary came onboard in 1982, UHD has grown from a single hospital building with only three
personal computers and no internet to a multi-campus organization with well over 1,000 electronic
devices and a secure electronic medical record system supported by a large network of software
programs and robust internet security.
The remaining honorees were each noted for their service, which included five, 10, 15, 20 and 25-year
milestones. The UHD Service Recognition Luncheon is a longstanding annual tradition that began more
than 30 years ago. During the event, UHD managers and senior administrators award jewel-themed
pins representing the different milestone years – Ruby for five years, Sapphire for 10 years, Emerald for
15 years and Diamond for 20 years or more. Employees with 25 or more years of service are also given
gifts from their managers.