Claude Harbarger

By Maureen Smith
JACKSON – Catholic Charities will honor two healthcare leaders at this year’s Bishop’s Ball, set for Saturday, June 9, at the Jackson Country Club. During the evening event, Claude Harbarger and Lester Diamond will be honored with the Samaritan Award. Harbarger is the president of St. Dominic’s Health Services while Diamond is the president of St. Dominic-Jackson Memorial Hospital.
The Samaritan Award highlights the work of individuals whose support of Catholic Charities has made a lasting impact on the organization and community. Diamond and Harbarger are ever-present at Catholic Charities events and work with other community partners to advance the work of Catholic Charities in the community. John Lunardini, COO of Catholic Charities explained that the board felt the men provide a model of how community organizations can work together to amplify their positive impact.
“Their leadership running a faith-based healthcare system has greatly enhanced the quality of medical services provided to the community. And, their support of Charities through the St. Dominic Foundation has enabled us to serve many more people in a more diverse capacity throughout the state,” said Lunardini.
Harbarger, a Huntsville, Ala., native worked with hospitals in Georgia, Florida and Tennessee before coming to Jackson in May, 1987 as Senior Vice President of Professional Services for St. Dominic Hospital. He was named president of the hospital in 1991 and served in this role for 20 years. In January, 2012, Harbarger began serving as President of St. Dominic Health Services. He serves on a number of regional and national healthcare boards as well as being active at his church, First Presbyterian of Jackson, and in the local community. He and his wife Karis live in Jackson.
St. Dominic Health Services, sponsored by the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Illinois, is the parent organization operating St. Dominic Hospital, St. Catherine’s Village, Madison Health Services and Community Health Services–St. Dominic, Inc., which incorporates the outreach services of The Club at St. Dominic’s, New Directions for Over 55, St. Dominic Community Health Clinic and the Care-A-Van screening program.

Lester Diamond

Diamond was actually born at St. Dominic-Jackson Memorial Hospital, but was raised in Millington, Tennessee. He worked in Texas and Georgia before he came back to Jackson to be vice-president of St. Dominic’s North Campus. He continued to move up through the ranks at the hospital before becoming president in 2012.
He and his wife, Gina, have three children and are active members of Jackson St. Richard Parish. St. Dominic-Jackson Memorial Hospital is a 535-bed acute-care facility in Jackson. It traces its history to 1946, when the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Ill., purchased the Jackson Infirmary in the center of the city. The infirmary was the foundation for a health system that today includes the acute care hospital, a continuing care community, and a full range of outpatient and community services.
Sister Dorothea Sondgeroth, associate executive director of the St. Dominic Health Services Foundation, has worked closely with both men. “Claude (Harbarger) and Lester (Diamond) both outstanding leaders at St. Dominic’s are worthy of recognition as recipients of the Catholic Charities Samaritan award. Both define the role of a Samaritan as they inspire St. Dominic’s 3,500 employees to reach out to help others through their words and actions while they themselves serve others without counting the cost,” she said.
Bishop Joseph Kopacz will give the awards to Harbarger and Diamond. “This provides us with the opportunity to direct the spotlight onto the mission and long-standing service of the Saint Dominic Health Care System in Mississippi. During their tenures these two have advanced the mission of the Dominican Sisters of Springfield ‘to provide compassionate care and hope as a healing ministry of the Catholic Church,’” said the bishop.
“As a member of the Board of Directors of the Saint Dominic Health System, I am privileged to experience first-hand their leadership, professional expertise and Gospel commitment to the advancing the state of healthcare across the South, and in particular for many years in the St. Dominic Health Care System.”
Tickets to the Bishop’s Ball are $85 per person. The evening includes dinner, live and silent auctions and dancing to live music. Call Catholic Charities to purchase tickets call Julie O’Brien at (601) 326-3714 or email at julie.obrien@catholiccharitiesjackson.org.

Invitation