May 15, 2011

MHA’s Klimp receives AHA Grassroots Champion Award

Mary Klimp, CEO of Queen of Peace Hospital in New Prague and chair of the Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA) Board of Directors, earned the American Hospital Association (AHA) Grassroots Champion award for her exceptional leadership in generating grassroots and community action to support the missions of Minnesota hospitals. Klimp received the award at the AHA annual meeting in April in Washington, D.C., and she will be recognized at the MHA Awards program on Friday evening, May 6.
Klimp earned the award for her invaluable contributions to advocacy work in the hospital community. “MHA has relied on Mary’s strong voice to help tell the story of how our hospitals are the cornerstones for the quality of life in every area of our state,” said MHA President and CEO Lawrence Massa. “It’s been a great honor to work with Mary in her quest to advocate for the patients we all serve.”

Klimp has served on the MHA Board’s executive committee and has made numerous contributions to Minnesota’s hospital community by serving on MHA’s Policy and Advocacy Committee, the Minnesota Hospital Action Committee, the Trustee Council, and the Health Care Reform Task Force, to name a few. She received MHA’s Spirit of Advocacy Award in 2009 to recognize her tireless work for Minnesota hospitals. In 2010, she chaired the Minnesota Hospital PAC Board, MHA’s political action committee. Under her leadership, the Minnesota Hospital PAC exceeded its goal in raising $100,000 to support legislative and congressional candidates who work with Minnesota’s hospitals to develop and implement public policies that foster insurance coverage and high quality care for all Minnesotans.