Mercy named top company for executive women for third consecutive year

JANESVILLE, WI  – The National Association of Female Executives (NAFE) recently announced Mercy Health System as one of the NAFE Top Nonprofit Companies for Executive Women. The list recognizes organizations whose policies and practices encourage women¹s advancement and whose numbers at the highest levels of leadership demonstrate that commitment.

The new report, conducted by the Working Mother Research Institute, finds that women hold 39 percent of executive seats at the NAFE Top 10 Nonprofits and 31 percent of all board of director seats. The NAFE Top 10 Nonprofits lead corporate America in recruiting, retaining and advancing women. Some other findings from this year¹s research include:

• Women represent 77 percent of employees at the NAFE Top 10 Nonprofits, on average.
• 90 percent of the NAFE Top 10 Nonprofits require managers to be trained to hire, advance or manage women.
• 90 percent of the NAFE Top 10 Nonprofits have formal compensation policies that reward managers who help manage work life concerns.
• 50 percent of the NAFE Top 10 Nonprofits have formal compensation policies that reward managers who advance women.

“We are very honored to be listed among the top companies for executive women for the third year in a row,” says Javon R. Bea, president and CEO of Mercy Health System. “We have an outstanding leadership team and I’m proud our they do whatever it takes to continuously improve the care patients receive.”

Jeni Hallatt, who was recently promoted to vice president in early 2012, says she feels Mercy understands the value women have in the workplace. “I, like many other women in our organization, have been provided the opportunity to grow in my career; advancing from administrative fellow to vice president,” Hallatt said.

Jeni is one of eleven vice presidents at Mercy Health System, five of who are women. “It is an honor for Mercy to have received this recognition for the third year in a row,” Hallatt continues. “I have been part of the Mercy family for the last 12 years and I am proud to be part of the executive team that is committed to fostering a culture of continual growth and education in an effort to provide our communities with exceptional service and care.”

Founded in 1895, Mercy Health System is a not-for-profit, vertically integrated multi-specialty health system that serves more than one million individuals through its 70 facilities in 26 southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois communities. Since 1989, Mercy Health System has grown from a stand-alone community hospital with no employed physicians and no ambulatory care centers into a comprehensive, vertically integrated health system offering an extensive network of primary and specialty care physicians, three hospitals, subspecialty centers of excellence, insurance products, long term care, retail services, and preventive health and wellness programs. Mercy employs over 400 physicians and nearly 4,000 employees, who are called partners. Mercy Health System is headquartered in Janesville, Wisconsin.

About NAFE: Now in its 41st year, the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE), founded in 1972, serves 20,000 members nationwide with networking, tools and solutions to strengthen and grow their careers and businesses. Working Mother magazine publishes the annual NAFE Top 50 list, while NAFE.com provides up-to-date information, community for women in business and access to member benefits. NAFE is a division of Working Mother Media, owned by the Bonnier Corporation.