Marshall Browning Board President Harold Rice Retires
Marshall Browning Hospital today announced that Board President, Harold E. Rice, retired from the Board of Directors effective at their annual board meeting on Sept. 24, 2012. The Marshall Browning Hospital Board of Directors regretfully accepted the retirement notice of Rice at their regular board meeting held on Aug. 27.
The public is invited to attend a retirement reception for Rice on Tuesday, Oct. 16 in the hospital conference room from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Rice joined Marshall Browning Hospital as a board member in 1974 and was named board president in 1979. During his tenure, he worked with four Administrators and was instrumental in leading the hospital through many major building projects including the construction of the 1972 wing; Marshall Browning Estates, the hospital's 22-unit independent living facility; expansion of the hospital's Rehab Center; a $2 million addition for a new Emergency Room, outpatient lab, radiology, admitting, lobby and gift shop; a $7.7 million addition which includes 25 private patient rooms, pharmacy, laboratory and surgery; and a state-of-the-art medical office. Also included in his accomplishments was the demolition of the 1922 hospital which was no longer viable for patient care services. The end result is the community today has a current up-to-date facility with less than $10 million in debt.
Edwin A. Gast, hospital CEO, stated "Harold has worked alongside many hospital administrators and generations of employees throughout his 38 years on the board. He can walk through the halls of the hospital today and knows our employees by name. His dedication to this hospital is extraordinary. He has seen the many changes that have occurred in the healthcare industry during his tenure and has always focused on what was best for the patients of Perry County. He will be missed."
While serving on the hospital board, Rice was also very active on a number of other boards including the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board, Dairy Research Foundation, Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc., St. Louis District Council, Illinois and Greater St. Louis Promotion Agency, Illinois Milk Promotion Board, Midland Dairy Association, Illinois Farm Development Authority, Perry County Farm Bureau, Illinois Farm Bureau, Old Du Quoin Rural Water District, Du Quoin National Bank Board, DuQuoin Rotary Club, Du Quoin Community School Board, John A. Logan College Board, John A. Logan College Foundation and Illinois Community College Trustees Association. Rice also served as a Deacon and Sunday School teacher at First Baptist Church in Du Quoin. He was honored with the Master Farmer Award by Prairie Farm Magazine in 1976.