WAUSEON -- E. Dean Beck, administrator of the Fulton County Health Center, Wauseon, has received the 2008 Distinguished Service Award from the Ohio Hospital Association (OHA).
Beck received the award at the OHA's recognition dinner on June 9. The award honors CEOs or senior managers of OHA member organizations for their professional attainments as outstanding managers, leaders, mentors, teachers or in service to the community.
The OHA said, "For 40 years, E. Dean Beck has provided distinguished service and leadership to the Fulton County Health Center." Beck began his career at the health center in 1968 as the accountant/office manager and became hospital administrator in 1975.
As administrator, he led the facility through several changes in providing health care to the community. He guided FCHC through four major expansions that included new services and facilities and a new nursing home, and brought in new medical technology to the area.
Outside of the hospital, Beck served as president of the Northwest Ohio Chapter of Healthcare Finance Management Association in 1977. He also held a variety of board and committee positions with the Hospital Council of Northwest Ohio, including past chairman of the board in 1982, and current nomination committee chairman. He served on the OHA Small and Rural Hospital Committee from 1998-2001.
Beck said he was honored to receive this award. He added that the success of the health center goes beyond his leadership and is the result of dedicated physicians, nurses, technologists and other healthcare professionals who serve in administrative and support staff roles.