Former Oregon State University swimmer Mari Embertson has won the $3,000 first prize from the American College of Healthcare Executives for her Hill-Rom essay detailing the importance of middle managers in the healthcare field.  Hill-Rom is a company that provides healthcare facilities in the U.S.

Embertson, who lettered at Oregon State from 2002-05, will make her “Importance of Middle Managers in Healthcare Organizations” presentation at the ACHE’s 49^th Congress on Healthcare Leadership at the Hyatt Regency Chicago on March 29.  

“The paper describes why middle managers are actually critical to these organizations and should be more valued,” the 2004 All-American from Roseburg said. 

Embertson’s essay evolved from a class she was enrolled in at OSU during fall term of 2005.  It was taught by Dr. Leonard Friedman, Associate Professor of Public Health and the Coordinator of Health Management and Policy Programs at OSU.

“I’m absolutely thrilled for Mari,” Friedman said.  “She is the first person from Oregon State to ever win this competition.”

Embertson, who won the undergraduate division of the contest, will make her presentation to approximately 4,000 healthcare executives from around the U.S. 

‘This is by far the largest and most important event for healthcare executives during the year,” Friedman said.

Embertson, who was a two-time team captain and member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, hopes to have a future as an upper-middle manager in the healthcare field.

“Managers have tough jobs and their impact is often undervalued or unnoticed,” Embertson said.  “It seemed all I was hearing was that those positions are the hardest to come by and easiest to be eliminated.  I disagree with the assumption that middle managers hurt efficiency and weren’t as valuable.”

Embertson will make her presentation, and then leave the next morning to compete in the 400-meter individual medley at the U.S. Swimming National Championships in Federal Way, Wash.  She has been training for the event for the last six months.

“Everything hasn’t sunk in yet,” Embertson said.  “I’m very thankful and eager for these exciting opportunities.  My goal has been, and will continue to be, to make full use of the abilities and opportunities I’ve been blessed with.”

In addition to the $3,000 award and plaque that Embertson will receive, OSU will receive $1,000.  Her essay will also be published in the Journal of Healthcare Management. 

“I felt much of my future was invested in this paper, not only a grade,” Embertson added.