Houston, Oct. 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Benjamin Foster, regional vice president of human resources at HCA Houston Healthcare, has been recognized with a DiversityFIRST™ Leadership Award as presented by the Texas Diversity Council, the premier resource for diversity best practices and leadership development in Texas.
Foster was recognized for outstanding accomplishments in the promotion and advancement of diversity through inclusion and strong leadership at one of the region’s largest healthcare systems.
Among his many efforts, Foster launched HCA Houston Healthcare’s Diversity and Inclusion Council to address specific areas of concern for women and employees of color. He initiated employee resource groups for women, Latinos, young professionals, veterans and African Americans and established strategies to increase the representation of women and people of color in senior leadership. He also is leading the effort for HCA Houston Healthcare to host a citywide leadership development conference for women in healthcare in celebration of International Women’s Day 2020.
“Benjamin has demonstrated exemplary leadership in helping us create a diverse and inclusive workplace reflective of the communities we serve,” says Troy Villarreal, president of HCA Houston Healthcare. “We’re certainly proud of his accomplishments and this well-deserved recognition.”
One of the Houston area’s most diverse employers, HCA Houston Healthcare’s workforce is 80 percent female, 42 percent Latino, 19 percent African American and eight percent Asian.
HCA Houston Healthcare’s commitment to diversity also extends to its community involvement which requires leaders within the organization to complete 40 hours of community engagement per year. In addition, each chief executive within HCA Houston Healthcare is required to serve on a community board for the duration of their tenure with the company.
About HCA Houston Healthcare
HCA Houston Healthcare is the leading provider of healthcare in the Houston area, where excellent trained physicians, nurses and allied health professionals treat almost a million patients and provide more than $2 billion in charity care every year. With an employee base of 15,000, HCA Houston Healthcare’s comprehensive network includes 14 hospitals, nine outpatient surgery centers, 10 freestanding emergency centers and numerous freestanding diagnostic imaging facilities in the greater Houston area. It also includes a regional transfer center that provides one-phone-call access and support for patient transfers into and out of HCA Houston Healthcare facilities as well as access to ground and air transportation within a 150-mile radius. For more information, visit www.HCAHoustonHealthcare.com.
HCA Houston Healthcare is part of HCA Healthcare's Gulf Coast Division, a comprehensive network of hospitals, outpatient surgery centers, emergency centers and diagnostic imaging facilities in greater Houston, Corpus Christi and South Texas. Facilities in the Gulf Coast Division include: 17 hospitals, nine ambulatory care centers, 15 off-campus emergency centers, and a regional transfer center that provides one-phone-call access and support for patient transfers into and out of the HCA Gulf Coast Division hospitals as well as access to ground and air transportation within a 150-mile radius. HCA Gulf Coast Division is part of HCA Healthcare, the nation’s leading provider of quality healthcare services with 185 hospitals in the United States and England.
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