June 11, 2001

BIRMINGHAM, AL — UAB Hospital Executive Director Martin C. Nowak is the recipient of this year’s Alabama Hospital Association’s (AlaHA) 2001 Distinguished Service Award. The award recognizes distinguished service and devotion to the interests and problems of hospitals and health care in Alabama. Nowak is the first person from UAB to receive the award, which was presented June 10 during the Association’s annual meeting in Panama City, Florida.

“Martin epitomizes my vision of a modern, successful hospital administrator. He is beyond reproach, with the highest level of integrity, exemplified daily through his interactions with business associates, hospital staff, physicians, and friends and family,” says Frazer Rolen, senior vice president and director for federal advocacy for the AlaHA.

Nowak, who currently is overseeing the hospital’s $275 million North Pavilion replacement hospital facility project, is president-elect of the Birmingham Regional Hospital Council of the AlaHA, and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. He is an active member of the Birmingham Regional Health Executives Forum, the Health Care Advisory Board, the Medical Group Management Association, and the Healthcare Financial Management Association.

Nowak joined University Hospital’s administrative staff in 1981. After serving as an assistant hospital administrator and administrator for the UAB Center for Psychiatric Medicine, he became vice president for ambulatory services at Medical Center East in 1991. He rejoined UAB in 1992 as associate executive director for operations and information systems. In June 1994, he was named administrator/CEO of St. Clair Regional Hospital in Pell City. In July 1995, Nowak became director of network management and administrator of the UAB clinic in Huntsville, a position he held until again being named UAB Hospital associate executive director in May 1997.

A UAB alumnus, Nowak earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in biology in 1979 and his Master of Science Degree in hospital and health administration in 1981.

Since Nowak’s 1999 appointment as executive director, the hospital has twice been named one of “America’s most-preferred hospitals” by the National Research Corporation. Last year, the hospital was honored with the “Alabama State Quality Award” -- one of only two Alabama hospitals ever to receive the award.

Additionally, University Hospital continued its presence in the 1999 and 2000 “Best Hospitals” issues of U.S. News and World Report, and was ranked number one last year by MedTrax, a community public opinion survey, as the “best hospital overall” and “most preferred hospital for admission in Birmingham.”

Nowak’s award is well deserved, according to UAB Health System CEO David J. Fine. “Martin’s joint nomination by hospital administrative and medical staff attests to his recognized leadership abilities. I can think of no one more deserving for designation as this year’s recipient of the AlaHA Distinguished Service Award.”