Funds raised at the Soirée will support South Nassau's emergency department expansion that will nearly double the size of the department. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / PRURGENT
Signature Bank co-founder and vice chairman John Tamberlane will be the honoree of South Nassau Communities Hospital’s 2019 Soirée Under the Stars’ gala to be held Saturday, September 28th at The Seawane Club in Hewlett Harbor, NY.
The hospital also will honor Ricardo (Eric) Cruz, MD, director of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Tracy Thorn, RN, nurse manager, Emergency Department, who will be presented with the hospital’s Mary Pearson and the Cupola awards, respectively. The Mary Pearson Award, named in honor of the hospital’s founding administrator, is presented annually to an individual for extraordinary effort and individual contributions that significantly advance the hospital’s commitment to the community, and the Cupola Award, established in 2015, honors a deserving hospital employee who goes above and beyond their duties, and lives by the hospital mission to promote excellence in healthcare.
“John Tamberlane, a leader and innovator in the banking community and one of the original co-founders of Signature Bank, has been a tremendous partner to South Nassau and to our community,” said Richard J. Murphy, President and CEO. “He is the type of corporate citizen who truly recognizes the importance of giving back to the communities we serve.”
“Nurse Thorn and Dr. Cruz are dedicated caregivers who are highly regarded by their peers and by their patients. They represent the very best of South Nassau’s culture. They are known for always putting the needs of patients first. Nurses and physicians like Tracy and Eric are the very heartbeat and backbone of this hospital. We are delighted to be able to recognize them for their commitment,” Murphy continued.
Funds raised at the Soirée will support the hospital’s emergency department expansion that will nearly double the size of the Oceanside Emergency Department, which was built to serve 35,000 patient visits annually. The renovation and expansion – which is already underway – will accommodate the more than 80,000 patient visits expected each year and establish dedicated treatment areas for pediatric and behavioral health patients.
The evening will feature entertainment by leading Manhattan stage and theater performers Sierra Boggess, one of the top sopranos on Broadway; Tony-award nominated Jarrod Spector; and multi-talented actress and singer Kelli Barrett.
Tamberlane has been vice chairman and a board member of Signature Bank since its inception, as well as a director of Signature Securities Group since its inception in 2001. Under his leadership, the Bank has established a standard for service excellence through its distinctive single-point-of-contact approach to relationship banking. Signature Bank is also at the forefront of utilizing the latest advancements in digital technologies to develop and implement products and services that enhance the efficiency and productivity of its customers, as evidenced by the recent introduction of its revolutionary, blockchain-based digital payments platform, Signet™. Signet allows its commercial clients to make payments in U.S. dollars, 24/7/365, safely and securely, without transaction fees.
Signature Bank is one of the top 40 largest banks in the U.S., based on deposits (S&P Global Market Intelligence). The Bank recently earned several third-party recognitions, including: appeared on Forbes Best Banks in America list for the ninth consecutive year in 2019; and named Best Business Bank, Best Private Bank and Best Attorney Escrow Services provider by the New York Law Journal in the publication’s annual “Best of” survey for 2018, earning it a place in the New York Law Journal’s Hall of Fame (awarded to companies that have ranked in the “Best of” survey for at least three of the past four years). The Bank also ranked second nationally in the Best Business Bank, Best Private Bank and Best Attorney Escrow Services categories of the National Law Journal’s 2019 “Best of” survey.
Prior to joining Signature Bank, Tamberlane was president of the Consumer Financial Services Division and a director of Republic National Bank, which he joined in 1980. In this capacity, he managed the national mortgage banking division, retail broker dealer division and retail branch network, which grew to the third largest branch network in the New York-metropolitan area prior to its acquisition. He also was president of two independent bank subsidiaries of Republic New York Corporation: The Manhattan Savings Bank and its predecessor, Williamsburgh Savings Bank. Prior to joining Republic National Bank, he was employed with Bankers Trust. Tamberlane resides in New York, NY and has two adult children.
Since joining South Nassau in 2012, Dr. Cruz, a resident of Plainview, NY, has spearheaded the growth and expansion of the hospital’s standard-setting inpatient rehabilitation department and its’ Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Therapy (SMART) Center (located at 440 Merrick Road, Oceanside, NY).
A specialist in neurologic rehabilitation, particularly stroke and traumatic brain injury, Dr. Cruz is also highly regarded for his work in physical medicine and rehabilitation, including treating patients with sports injuries, neuromusculoskeletal disorders (including low back pain, degenerative joint disease, carpal tunnel syndrome, amputation patients) and performs EMG (electromyography) to assess electrical activity produced by skeletal muscles as well as nerve conduction tests. He has helped thousands of patients regain mobility and independence.
Since January 2017, Dr. Cruz has worked to establish South Nassau’s ImPACT Baseline Concussion program. The hospital’s program offers free baseline testing to high school athletes and has become a resource to several area school districts. Dr. Cruz follows up with post-concussive patients and works diligently and carefully, with both the athletes and their families, to ensure no athlete returns-to-learn or returns-to-play until he is certain the athlete is ready. Board-certified in general physical medicine and rehabilitation, Dr. Cruz has authored numerous publications, including the Oxford Handbook of Rehabilitation – Stroke and TBI Rehabilitation and Neurologic Rehabilitation of the Elderly.
“Dr. Cruz has developed a loyal patient following thanks to his expertise and dedication to offering the latest advancements and proven therapies in rehabilitative and physical medicine,” said Adhi Sharma, MD, South Nassau’s Executive Vice President for Clinical and Professional Affairs and Chief Medical Officer. “He has a connection to his patients that other physicians emulate.”
Ms. Thorn, of Long Beach, NY, the 2019 Cupola Award recipient, is a nurse manager in the emergency services department. She was chosen by her nursing peers who described her as a decisive leader, patient advocate, collaborator, role model, self-starter and forward-thinker. Ms. Thorn has been the architect of multiple procedural improvements in electronic medical records, trauma care, sepsis response and patient throughput. Her technological proficiency led to improvements in the EMR blood administration processes and fine-tuned trauma response and process. Her efforts drove a significant reduction in mortality rates for patients with sepsis and her leadership has helped foster a decrease in wait times for patients in the Emergency Department. Ms. Thorn earned a Master of Science in Nursing from Stony Brook University and holds professional certifications for Nurse Executive and in Emergency Nursing.
“Tracy is a role model to all of her peers. We are deeply proud of her ability to advocate for her patients and her stellar work ethic. She is an inspiration to all of us,” said Stacey Conklin, Chief Nursing Officer and Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services at South Nassau.
The Soirée is South Nassau’s major fundraising gala of the year, co-chaired by South Nassau Board Vice Chairman Tony Cancellieri and Board Member Wayne Lipton, who oversee a gala committee of 40 community members, civic and business leaders that has helped significantly increase the success of the event. Under their leadership, the annual gala has raised $3 million for the Emergency Department campaign, with double digit increases in each of the last four years.
“People on the South Shore care about this hospital,” said Cancellieri. “Our committee members and board members have volunteered many hours to help South Nassau grow and prepare for the future to better serve our communities. Our recent partnership with the Mount Sinai Health System has made South Nassau an even more important and vital institution for our patients, allowing us to offer more complex services right here in Nassau County.”
This year’s format again will feature a two-hour, outdoor reception starting at 6:30 PM at The Seawane Club that will be highlighted by an elaborate array of buffet-style food choices, unlimited top-shelf open bar, passed hot and cold hors d’oeuvres and an opportunity to mingle with the hospital’s key supporters, staff, board leadership and administration.
Following the reception and a short program, guests will enjoy an hour of Broadway-quality cabaret style, live entertainment featuring a 16-piece orchestra and performers:
• Sierra Boggess, a top sopranos on Broadway with many recordings, awards and nominations, she has received acclaim for playing Christin Daae in Phantom of the Opera, headlining for two years as Ariel in The Little Mermaid, and playing multiple roles in Les Misérables, Master Class and School of Rock;
• Jarrod Spector, who played Frankie Valli and totaled 1500 appearances in Jersey Boys from 2008- 2012; earned a Tony nomination as Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his role as Barry Mann In Beautiful the Carol King Musical, and thrilled theater goers with his starring role as Sonny Bono in the Cher Show;
• Kelli Barrett, who received broad applause as the character Liza Minnetti in the Miniseries, Fosse/Verdon in 2019; has garnered praise for her roles in As the World Turns, The Good Wife, Ugly Betty, Law and Order, Blue Bloods, NCIS, Chicago Fire, Person of Interest, Marvel’s The Punisher, and has appeared in numerous films and on Broadway in Wicked, The Royal Family, Dr. Zhivago and Getting’ the Band Back Together
To learn more about the Soirée, purchase tickets or support as a sponsor, call South Nassau’s Development office at (516) 377-5360. |
