OKEMOS, Mich. — The Michigan Health & Hospital Association (MHA) announced its 2025 awards recognizing several individuals and programs June 26 during its Annual Membership Meeting.
The MHA Meritorious Service Award, the association’s highest achievement award, was bestowed in 2025 on Bob Riney, president and CEO, Henry Ford Health, Detroit. He is honored for his decades of healthcare leadership, which spans more than 45 years of service at Henry Ford Health. Riney has served in many executive roles during his career. Since his appointment of CEO in 2022, Riney spearheaded a joint venture agreement with Ascension Michigan hospitals in southeast Michigan and has been key in the creation of Destination: Grand, which completely reimagines Henry Ford Hospital’s campus in Detroit to redefine patient care, experience and medical innovation. Additional details and photos.
The 2025 MHA Special Recognition Award recognized four individuals for their extensive contributions to healthcare. Tony Denton, senior vice president and chief environmental, social and governance officer, Michigan Medicine, is a former chair of the MHA Board of Trustees and commissioner of The Joint Commission. Denton has served in many leadership and advocacy roles during his 44 years with Michigan Medicine, including the role of COO and acting CEO during his tenure. U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor) has been a healthcare champion throughout her time in Congress, currently serving as a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, where she has led on critical issues, including affordable and accessible healthcare. Rep. Phil Green (Watertown Township) has been an advocate for state funding that ensures Michigan residents have access to the care they need throughout his time in office, as he currently chairs the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Health, serves as the vice chair on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Medicaid and Behavioral Health and also sits on the House Appropriations Committee. Rep. Alabas Farhat (D-Dearborn) has been a strong advocate for healthcare and public health legislation in the state House of Representatives since being elected in 2022. He currently serves as the Minority Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, where he has expressed commitment to protecting access to affordable healthcare for Michiganders. Nancy McKeague has been with the MHA for the past 21 years before her retirement July 4, providing expertise in state and federal advocacy on labor, unemployment and workforce issues. Ruthanne Sudderth has been responsible for leading the MHA communications division during her 17 years with the association. Some of her accomplishments include modernizing the association’s approach to fully embrace social media and podcasting platforms, building impactful coalitions and effectively amplifying the voice of hospitals to elected officials and key stakeholders and growing the MHA’s Endorsed Business Partner program. Sudderth is moving on to a new opportunity outside of the MHA, with her last day being July 4. Additional details and photos.
Ben Frederick, associate vice president, advocacy and government relations, Memorial Healthcare, Owosso; and Rosalie Tocco-Bradley, MD, PhD, chief clinical officer, Trinity Health Michigan, Livonia, received the MHA Healthcare Leadership Award. The award honors outstanding individuals who have provided exceptional leadership to healthcare organizations and to the health and well-being of the community. Frederick has played a pivotal role in securing funding, advocating for policy changes and strengthening provider network integration since he joined the organization in January 2023. Through his efforts, funding has been secured that has expanded Memorial Healthcare’s inpatient behavioral health services, supported the Memorial Childcare Academy to provide accessible childcare for healthcare employees and local families, and established a partnership with Saginaw Valley State University to expand higher education opportunities to Memorial Healthcare employees. Dr. Tocco-Bradley has been instrumental in shaping Trinity Health Michigan’s vision and operationalizing and improving clinical integration, streamlining workflows and ensuring clinicians across the organization have immediate access to patients’ data. As Trinity Health Michigan’s first chief clinical officer, she has instilled a culture of transparency and collaboration that has raised overall clinical performance. She is a driving force behind the implementation of initiatives to address opioid use disorder, enhance population health and served as the incident command chief during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional details and photos.
Corewell Health in West Michigan, Grand Rapids, received the MHA Advancing Safe Care Award, whose behavioral health department launched the Suicide Care & Prevention Team (SPCT) to reduce patient deaths by suicide through increased screening, risk assessment and connectivity with appropriate interventions and services. The group integrated suicide prevention measures into all aspects of care throughout the system with a focus on accessible training and resources for staff interacting with patients. The team’s efforts have led to a reduction in suicide deaths – lower than state and national averages. While deaths by suicide were down by 0.89% in Michigan and by 2.53% nationally between 2017 and 2020, Corewell Health in West Michigan saw a 21.64% decrease. When suicide rates increased post-pandemic, deaths in Michigan and nationally were up 5.01% and 4.63% respectively from 2017 to 2023. However, Corewell Health in West Michigan maintained a slight decrease of 0.75%. Additional details and photos.
The MHA awarded three hospital programs the 2025 MHA Ludwig Community Benefit Award, which is presented to member organizations integrally involved in collaborative programs to improve the health and well-being of area residents. Corewell Health Lakeland Hospitals, St. Joseph Hospital, in collaboration with the Michigan Public Health Institute’s Achieving Birth Equity Through Systems Transformation Taskforce, created a trusted resource to provide education in prenatal, childbirth and postnatal care. Lake Huron Medical Center, Port Huron, operates the People’s Clinic for Better Health, which has been providing primary care services to patients without health insurance for more than 35 years. MyMichigan Health, Midland, established the Continuing Care Clinic to reach residents throughout MyMichigan Health’s 26-county service region who do not have timely access to a primary care physician. Additional details and photos.
About the MHA
Based in Greater Lansing, the MHA is the statewide leader representing all community hospitals in Michigan. Established in 1919, the MHA represents the interests of its member hospitals and health systems in both the legislative and regulatory arenas on key issues and supports their efforts to provide quality, cost-effective and accessible care. The MHA’s mission is to advance the health of individuals and communities.
