Area July 15, 2009 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • Page 9 Richard D. Keenan, senior vice president of finance, and chief financial officer of The Valley Hospital, has been named CFO of the Year in the charitable, nonprofit category by NJBIZ, New Jersey’s Keenan of Valley Hospital named CFO of the Year weekly business journal. Recipients of the inaugural NJBIZ CFO of the Year awards were announced during a breakfast ceremony in Somerset. The event honored financial officers who Richard D. Keenani went the extra mile for their company. Keenan joined The Valley Hospital in 1973 and was named chief financial officer in 1974. He also serves as CFO for Valley Health System, which includes The Valley Hospital, Valley Home Care, and Valley Health Medical Group. “Rich is well deserving of this recognition,” said Audrey Meyers, president and CEO of The Valley Hospital and Valley Health System. “Over the past 35 years, due in large part to Rich’s leadership, Valley has grown to be the second busiest hospital in New Jersey and one of the most efficiently run and financially sound healthcare systems in the state.” In addition to the traditional duties of a CFO, Keenan’s responsibilities include: managed care contracting and coordination, chairman of the board of directors of Valley Health Medical Group, and trustee of the Valley Home Care Board of Directors. Shannon Rose Alston, 23, of North Haledon has been accepted into the Peace Corps. She will be departing for Dominican Republic on Aug. 21 to begin pre-service training as a community health Peace Corps volunteer. Upon graduation from volunteer training in November, Alston’s work will include working with children under the age of five, mothers, and youth. Alston is a graduate of Midland Park High School in Midland Park. She then attended Monmouth University in West Long Branch, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, graduating in 2008. Alston previously worked with the Hyacinth Foundation as a volunteer to get prepared for service in the Dominican Republic. “It is the right thing to do, I love helping people and this was a great way for me to make a difference in people’s lives,” said Alston of becoming a volunteer. During the first three months of her ser- MPHS grad joins Peace Corps vice, Alston will live with a host family in the Dominican Republic to become fully immersed in the country’s language and culture. After acquiring the language and cultural skills necessary to assist her community, Alston will serve for two years in the Dominican Republic, living in a manner similar to people in her host country. Over 3,955 Peace Corps volunteers have served in the Dominican Republic since the program was established in 1962. Volunteers in this Caribbean nation work in the areas of youth and community development, environmental and agricultural conservation, health and HIV/AIDS awareness, water sanitation and hygiene promotion, business development, and information technology. All volunteers in this country, regardless of sector, are trained to promote HIV/AIDS awareness and many receive support from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program. Currently, 198 volunteers are serving in the Dominican Republic. ����������������������� ��������������������������� ���������������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������� ���������������������������������������� ������������������������������������ ���������� ����������� �������� ����������������� ������������ �������������������������� ������� ������� ����������������������������������������� ������������������������� ��������������������