WATERLOO, Iowa (September 22, 2016)—VGM Group, Inc., has announced the representatives who will serve on the HME Woman of the Year Honorary Selection Committee.

The committee is comprised of Andrea Walsh, executive vice president and chief marketing officer with HealthPartners; John Frank, CEO of Philips Respironics’ Sleep and Respiratory Care Business; Liz Beaulieu, editor for HME News; and Tanya Warren, head coach of the University of Northern Iowa women’s basketball team.

Thirty-seven nominations were submitted to VGM, and each committee member will be tasked with narrowing the nominations down for VGM to select a winner. The award was open to all women working in the HME industry, regardless of title or position.

"No matter what you do for a living, effective leaders possess the ability to inspire, communicate, support and guide those around them to achieve positive results,” said Warren.

The HME Woman of the Year award will be presented on November 1 during Medtrade in Atlanta. The award will honor a woman who has made increasingly significant contributions throughout her career to both her company and the home medical equipment industry.

“Women in our industry are paving new ways of innovation and business processes, providing leadership through advocacy at the local, state and federal levels, improving the lives of patients through compassionate care and making lifelong impressions within their community,” said Christa Miehe, president of Essentially Women, a division of VGM Group, Inc. “We hope this award provides recognition and visibility for exceptional leaders within the industry, and in doing so, publicize some of the many positive things happening in our industry.”   

For more information about the award, visit vgm.com/HMEWomanoftheYear, or join the Women of HME LinkedIn online community.