January 9, 2004

Diaz's memory honored at awards ceremony

Family, colleagues and friends — many from MGH Buildings and Grounds and Environmental Services — packed the O'Keeffe Auditorium Jan. 6 for the first annual Ricardo Diaz Memorial Award ceremony. The award presentation was in honor of Diaz, a Buildings and Grounds employee who lost his life last February while clearing snow from the sidewalks of the hospital during a blizzard. "Diaz was a dedicated, hardworking, selfless employee," said Jean Elrick, MD, senior vice president of Administration. "We want to keep his memory alive here at the MGH, and we want him to remain the example for others to aspire to."

Emerson Niles, a HVAC mechanic for Buildings and Grounds, received the award from David Torchiana, MD, chairman and CEO of the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization. "Emerson Niles stays with a job until it's finished and has always demonstrated a cooperative attitude toward his co-workers and toward those he is trying to help," said Greg Doyle, director of Buildings and Grounds, reading an excerpt from Niles' nomination letter.

The award committee — which consisted of employees representing Administration, Buildings and Grounds, Environmental Services and Human Resources — received more than 35 nomination letters, many for the same individuals. In total, 16 men and women were nominated by other employees who felt they represented the same qualities and work ethic that Diaz demonstrated. The other nominees were: Venancio Arroyo, Leonie Cantave, Diana Gutierrez, Tony Hawkins, Emeline Isaacs, Morris Kelley, Edward King, Fanny Lopez, John Mendalka, Guy Mont-Louis, Hoyt Norris, Petronila Rodriguez, Nery Ortiz, Greg Stein and Sylvia Wilson.

Also participating in the ceremony were Peter L. Slavin, MD, president of the MGH, and Bill Banchiere, director of MGH Environmental Services, who translated the remarks into Spanish.