Chamber to honor hospital leader

The Oconee County Chamber of Commerce Excellence in Leadership Award will go to long-time hospital leader Jeanne Ward.  The award will be presented during a chamber membership luncheon to take place Monday, November 4 at the Lighthouse Restaurant on Lake Keowee.  A former Pennsylvanian, Ward embarked on a nursing career at the Oconee Memorial Hospital in the 1970s.  But her career path led to administration and eventually, in 2003, was elevated to OMH president/CEO.  In her time as the chief operating officer, she oversaw a $50 million patient tower and later helped steer the hospital to join the Greenville Health System, now part of Prisma Health.  Today Ward serves as a regional president of Prisma.