2014 -- S 2681

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LC005083

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

CONGRATULATING LANDMARK MEDICAL CENTER PRESIDENT AND CEO

RICHARD R. CHAREST FOR BEING SELECTED TO RECEIVE THE WOONSOCKET

ROTARY CLUB'S VOCATIONAL SERVICE AWARD

     Introduced By: Senators Cote, and Picard

     Date Introduced: March 05, 2014

     Referred To: Placed on the Senate Consent Calendar

     WHEREAS, Richard R. Charest, a native of northern Rhode Island with a Bachelor of

Science degree in Pharmacy from Northeastern University and a Master’s degree in Business

Administration in Healthcare and Administration, has devoted much of his life in the fight to

ensure that the people living in the Blackstone Valley have decent access to high quality

healthcare; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Charest is a proven leader with vast experience in the pharmaceutical

and heath care industries, having previously run the pharmacy at Fogarty Hospital in North

Smithfield, now Rehabilitation Hospital of Rhode Island, and having later run the combined

pharmacy operation at Landmark after the merger of Fogarty and the former Woonsocket

Hospital into one organization. He has also been the President of Landmark Medical Center since

2007 and has served as Chief Executive Officer of the Rehabilitation Hospital of Rhode Island;

and

     WHEREAS, When Landmark Medical Center was in danger of closing due to the poor

economy and the difficult challenges currently facing healthcare providers, it was natural that Mr.

Charest would step forward and take a leadership role in the effort to save Landmark by finding a

suitable partner. He worked tirelessly and vigorously to save the Landmark Medical Center and

eventually was able to convince Prime Healthcare to partner with Landmark; and

     WHEREAS, The merger of Prime Healthcare and Landmark Medical Center’s services

will ensure that the people of the Blackstone Valley will continue to have access to high-quality

healthcare and pharmaceutical services. This merger will make Landmark part of one of the top

13 hospital networks in the country and become a reality in large part because of the high regard

and esteem in which Richard R. Charest is held by his peers and colleagues, not only in Rhode

Island but amongst healthcare observers throughout the United States; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Charest also spends much of his time serving his community in support

of various charitable endeavors. He currently serves as a governing member of the Rhode Island

Chapter of the American Heart Association, is a member of the Hospital Association of Rhode

Island Board of Trustees, and as an advisory board member at St. Antoine Residence. He has also

held board appointments at the Rhode Island Blood Center, the Rhode Island Drug Utilization

Review Board, the Rhode Island Board of Pharmacy, and the Visiting Nurse Service of

Woonsocket; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

hereby congratulates Richard R. Charest for receiving the Woonsocket Rotary Club’s Vocational

Service Award. We thank him for his many years of service to the Blackstone Valley community

and for all he has done to improve the quality of life and healthcare in that community; and be it

further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Mr. Richard R. Charest.

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LC005083

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