HURON — Huron Regional Medical Center (HRMC) honored its July Exceptional Employee of the Month, Katherine Huntley-Gomez, earlier this month.

Huntley-Gomez, who has worked as an ER receptionist at HRMC for more than four years, was nominated by colleagues and described as compassionate, trustworthy, and reliable.

According to the nomination, “I’ve witnessed several times how compassionate and caring Katherine is when put into difficult situations, including interpreting for Spanish speaking patients.” The nomination continued, “She is always willing to be a vital link in the care team without hesitation or question. Katherine is a huge asset to the HRMC ER team and deserves to be recognized for going above and beyond to improve patient care.”

HRMC’s Exceptional Employee of the Month award recognizes an employee who goes above and beyond to demonstrate the hospital’s values. Employees can be nominated by coworkers, a patient, or a visitor who witnesses exceptional service. A committee of employees from various hospital departments chooses the employee on a monthly basis and an Exceptional Employee of the Year is chosen at year-end from the 12 monthly honorees by the HRMC board of directors.

As July Exceptional Employee, Huntley-Gomez received a meal certificate to a local restaurant, a professional photo session and portrait, $50, a lapel pin, and a special parking place for a month.

Spurred by a desire to enter the nursing profession due to admiration of the dedication and hard work nurses put forth to care for people, Huntley-Gomez is currently attending Southeast Technical College to earn her degree in Licensed Practical Nursing while working at HRMC.

“My job enables me to work in an environment where I can be of help to Huron’s Spanish community,” explained Huntley-Gomez. “I like to work hard and stay busy, so the emergency room is a good match for me.”

Huntley-Gomez lives in Huron with her husband, Jose Montes, and her four-year old son, Mateo. She enjoys reading, running, spending time with family and living life by respecting and caring for others.

Patients or visitors can nominate an exceptional employee by calling 605-353-6539 for a nomination form or via e-mail at hr@huronregional.org.