FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 14, 2026
ISHMPR Recognizes Pinnacle Award Winners at Annual Meeting
The Illinois Society for Healthcare Marketing and Public Relations (ISHMPR) honored marketing, public relations and communications professionals from across the state at its Annual Conference and Pinnacle Awards held October 6-8 at the Embassy Suites Rockford Riverfront.
ISHMPR membership is open to marketing, communications, and public relations professionals from hospitals statewide. The Annual Conference offers the opportunity for professional networking and educational presentations by nationally-recognized healthcare marketing professionals.
In conjunction with the Annual Conference, ISHMPR sponsors the Pinnacle Awards to recognize excellence and achievement in healthcare marketing and public relations. Entries are judged on their own merit in accordance with established criteria for project planning, implementation and overall results.
Kirby Medical Center was recognized with the following awards:
- Best in Show for Special Event: Pink & Clink: A Party with a Purpose
Karen Idleman, Jessica Cox, Heidi Apperson, Sarah Ross, Kathy Sowinski, Marcie Albrecht
- Award of Excellence for Community Outreach: Pediatric Therapy Books
Heidi Apperson, Anne Grabow, Jane Malm
- Award of Merit for Annual Report: Transforming Generosity Into Impact: The Kirby Foundation 2025 Annual Report
Sarah Ross, Kirby Foundation Board of Directors
- Award of Merit for Community Outreach: Halloween Spooktacular: Bringing Our Community Together through Fun, Creativity, and Connection
Karen Idleman, Jessica Cox, Heidi Apperson
- Award of Merit for Integrated Marketing Campaign: Bringing the Best to Our Community – Expansion Campaign
Steve Tenhouse, Heidi Apperson
- Award of Merit for Podcasting: Kirby Connections Podcast: Connecting Our Community Through Trusted Healthcare Conversations
Karen Idleman, Heidi Apperson, Marcie Albrecht
- Honorable Mention for Direct Mail: Construction with Purpose: Engaging the Community Throughout Kirby Medical Center’s Expansion
Sarah Ross
- Honorable Mention for Employee Engagement: Building a Culture of Engagement: How Kirby Medical Center Makes Employee Recognition a Year-round Priority
Sarah Wells, Karen Idelman, Marcie Albrecht, KMC Human Resources
- Honorable Mention for Physician Relations & Recruitment: Recruiting Excellence: Attracting the Next Generation of Rural Healthcare Providers
Sarah Wells, Heidi Apperson, Andrew Buffenbarger, Karen Idleman, Jessica Cox, Jennifer Moss, Steve Tenhouse
- Honorable Mention for Social Media Campaign: 85 Years of Caring for Our Community
Karen Idleman, Heidi Apperson, Jessica Cox
For a complete list of Award Winners as well as the “Best of Show” Announcement, visit ISHMPR on the web at www.ishmpr.org.
About ISHMPR
As an affiliate of the Illinois Hospital Association (IHA), the Illinois Society of Healthcare Marketing and Public Relations (ISHMPR) is a group of healthcare marketing and communications professionals dedicated to offering networking, recognition and educational opportunities for professionals in the fields of healthcare public and community relations, marketing and affiliated services. Founded in 1973, the Society is made up of professional healthcare communicators from a variety of disciplines. Membership is open to all healthcare marketing professionals across the state. For more information, visit www.ishmpr.org.
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