Berkshire Health Systems Honors Nine Employees

PITTSFIELD — As part of Employee Appreciation Month in May, Berkshire Health Systems recognized seven employees with annual CARE Awards and two with Providers of the Year honors.

CARE Awards celebrate the health system’s core values of compassion, accountability, respect and excellence, and employees who were honored work across the system at Berkshire Medical Center (BMC), Fairview Hospital, North Adams Regional Hospital, and BMC and Fairview Provider Practices.

Providers of the Year were Maribeth Pomerantz, certified nurse midwife at Berkshire OBGYN of BMC, and Dr. Adam Gicewicz, a pediatrician at Berkshire Health Pediatrics.

Pomerantz was recognized for the personalized care she provides to expectant mothers. Her co-workers said, “there are many examples of her commitment to individual patients. She doesn’t hesitate to add them to her schedule so that they can have a timely visit. She truly goes over the top in support of her patients and their families.”

Gicewicz was cited for his ability to “ease the natural anxiety that any child must have when going to the doctor. One thing Dr. Gicewicz does is wear a multitude of different colored sneakers, and all the children love this. He understands all the different age groups associated with our practice and can relate to them on a level that is comfortable for them, making their visit that much better for both patient and parents.”

CARE Award Winners include Ellen Beckwith, charge nurse at Fairview Hospital; Frank Bentz, Environmental Services Supervisor at the Hillcrest Campus of BMC; Richard “Ricky” Cyrulik, Environmental Services specialist at North Adams Regional Hospital (NARH); Noel Henebury, recruiter with BHS Human Resources; Yvette Losaw, a registered nurse at 5 West Surgical/Ortho, Berkshire Medical Center; Gwen McCarroll, information technology engineer at BHS Information Technology; and Randy Wallingford, a registered nurse in Behavioral Health at Berkshire Medical Center.

Beckwith was lauded by colleagues, who said, “Ellen consistently demonstrates exceptional compassion and dedication in patient care. I have had the privilege to witness Ellen having a profound impact on patients and colleagues. Ellen possesses the unique ability to provide not only outstanding clinical care but also emotional support that truly makes a difference in the lives of patients and their families.”

Bentz’s team said, “with an extraordinary 36-year career in Environmental Services, Frank has exemplified what it means to be a committed, ethical, dependable, and hardworking team member. Frank is someone you would want in your foxhole. Throughout his long tenure at BHS, Frank has consistently upheld the highest standards of cleanliness, customer service, and safety.”

Cyrulik was called “a seasoned team member in the EVS department at NARH who has exemplified extraordinary contributions to the team. He is consistently willing to help out anywhere in the hospital. Ricky always responds as quickly as he can with a positive attitude. Ricky was assigned to the Emergency Department, and after one week of being there, I heard from multiple staff members that they are so appreciative that he is there.”

Henebury was honored for how she interacts with those she is recruiting. “Noel is also highly invested in the people she encounters in our Talent Acquisition Program. She attends every RN pinning ceremony, and when her new hires start, she makes it a point to meet with them when they are filling out paperwork and meets them at their orientation. Her enthusiasm for her tasks goes beyond a focus on those she is recruiting. She truly feels that recruiters change people’s lives by hiring them to work here.”

Losaw was recognized for her patient-centered care. “She takes charge in difficult situations in a calm, confident manner, with just the right amount of humor. Yvette advocates for her patients to make sure that they get the care that they need. She has outstanding clinical skills. I would want her to be my nurse or my loved one’s nurse, if we ever needed one.”

McCarroll was recognized for being “hardworking, collaborative, supportive, and a team player. She can decipher report request needs with ease and patience. She continues to work tirelessly to ensure that users have what they need and data is accurate.”

Wallingford was honored for his compassionate approach to his patients. “It is unfathomable to attempt to consider the number of lives Randy has touched, the number of souls he has had a hand in healing through the years. His commitment to inclusive and excellent patient care, and to treating everyone around him with kindness and respect, has been remarkably enduring and inspiring.”