Frank Ware Award of Excellence named for former Janet Wattles Center President/CEO
Sherry Fink, a clinical supervisor at the Rosecrance Ware Center, received the 2012 Frank Ware Award of Excellence on Tuesday, April 17, at the annual United Way of Rock River Valley Volunteer Recognition event at Giovanni’s.
Fink, who has worked with the organization for 14 years, supervises a program called Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH). The program provides outreach and therapeutic services to individuals who are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless and have a serious mental illness. Fink also supervises the PATH ex-offender program. This program offers services to individuals released from the Department of Corrections.
Mary Ann Abate, Rosecrance Sr. VP and Chief Operating Officer for Mental Health Services, noted that Sherry had some tough competition from nominees who also perform important work for various organizations in the community.
“This award signifies great leadership, mentorship and contributions to making our community a better place to live,” Abate said of Fink. “ The award was presented by Frank’s daughter, Courtney Oertel, and she explained to all who were present how much Sherry demonstrated the kind of leadership Frank embodied.”
Frank Ware was the longtime President/CEO of the Janet Wattles Center who, along with Rosecrance President/CEO led the merger of the two organizations. Ware died in February 2011.
“We are extremely grateful to have such an outstanding staff as Sherry,” Abate said, “and we want to send a huge BRAVO to her and encourage her to continue the great work.”