Foodservice Directors Named 2009 Premier Illuminating Excellence Award Winners

Three Premier Foodservice Directors Cited for Exceptional Leadership
CHARLOTTE, N.C.--(Business Wire)--
The Premier healthcare alliance today announced winners of the 2009 Illuminating
Excellence Award, which recognizes accomplishments and improvements in
foodservice operations.

2009 Illuminating Excellence Award winners are: Julie Carrigan, director of Food
and Nutrition at Garden City Hospital in Garden City, Mich.; Richard Nickless,
Supply and Service director at Coastal Center, S.C. Department of Disabilities
and Special Needs in Summerville, S.C.; and Dee Philips, director of Dining
Services at Davidson College in Davidson, N.C.

"Julie has been an energetic and tireless director since her first day at Garden
City Hospital. Although she has done an outstanding job managing Food and
Nutrition Services, her creativity and enthusiasm has spilled over into many
other areas of the hospital," said Gary Ley, Garden City Hospital president and
CEO. "We are pleased to see her outstanding performance recognized by Premier."

The awards were presented at Premier`s annual Foodservice Forum, held in
conjunction with its 2009 Annual Breakthroughs Conference and Exhibition, which
drew more than 2,000 healthcare system and supplier attendees to Anaheim,
Calif., June 16-18.

"We honor 2009 Illuminating Excellence Award winners for improving foodservice
offerings in their facilities and enhancing the foodservice experience," said
Debby Kasper, RD, LD, Premier manager of Clinical Nutrition. "These executives
achieved sustained improvements in facility operations including concrete
factors such as satisfaction scores and documented budgetary cost savings."

Finalists considered for the award were: Sue Alfrets, Foodservice director at
the White Memorial Medical Center, Los Angeles; Tonya Burnett, director of
Nutrition Services at St. Rita`s Medical Center, Lima, Ohio; Duane Buske,
manager of Purchasing at the University of San Diego, San Diego; Charlie Cagle,
director of Foodservices at St. Louis Altenheim, St. Louis; Steve Cerullo, Food
Service director at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, Pa.; Lisette Coston,
director of Nutrition and Food Services at Saint Francis Health System, Tulsa,
Okla.; Helene Gruber, director of Nutrition Services at St. Elizabeth Medical
Center, Edgewood, Ky.; Margaret Hodges, director of Food Services at St.
Anthony, Minn.; Rona Klein, production manager at Arbor Acres, Winston-Salem,
N.C.; and Cheryl Shimmin, director of Nutrition Services at Kettering Medical
Center, Dayton, Ohio.

The Premier Illuminating Excellence Award recognizes accomplishments and
improvements in operations, including: patient/resident/student satisfaction
scores; documented cost savings; activities that support the values and mission
of the organization; participation in the Premier alliance; professional and
community activities; and personal achievements in the last year.

Additional information about the Illuminating Excellence Award can be found at:
www.premierinc.com/about/news/awards/index.jsp.

About Premier Inc., 2006 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient

The Premier healthcare alliance is more than 2,100 U.S. hospitals and
58,000-plus other healthcare sites working together to improve healthcare
quality and affordability. Premier maintains the nation's most comprehensive
repository of clinical, financial and outcomes information and operates a
leading healthcare purchasing network. A world leader in helping deliver
measurable improvements in care, Premier works with the Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services and the United Kingdom's National Health Service North West to
improve hospital performance. Premier has offices in San Diego, Charlotte, N.C.,
Philadelphia and Washington.

Premier Inc.
Alven Weil, 704-733-5797

Copyright Business Wire 2009