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

JACKSON – Catholic Charities has set the tenth annual Bishop’s Ball for Saturday, June 6, at the Country Club of Jackson. The ball gives the organization an opportunity to recognize and honor some of its most loyal and dedicated supporters and this year is no exception.
Archie R. McDonnell Jr., of Citizens National Bank of Meridian and Beth and Robert Gaston of Madison are this year’s honorees.
The Gastons are active members of Madison St. Francis of Assisi as extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist, RCIA program volunteers, and members of the choir and sacristy committee.  Robert Gaston is currently serving as a lector and is an active member of Council 9543 of the Knights of Columbus.  Beth Gaston is the coordinator of the marriage preparation ministry for the parish and involved in the parish ladies auxiliary as well as the St. Dominic’s Hospital Auxiliary. The Gastons have been active in supporting multiple projects at Catholic Charities where Beth has also served on the Board of Directors. They are lifetime members of the Catholic Foundation.>
The couple has also supported building projects at their home parish, Flowood St. Paul, St. Catherine’s Village, St Anthony and Madison St. Joseph Schools. Finally, the Gastons have supported the development of technology at several of the Catholic schools in the diocese. They have four children and nine grandchildren and have been married for 41 years.
Archie McDonnell, Jr., President and CEO of Citizens National Bank, doubled the bank’s asset size from $500 million to more than $1 billion, and helped grow the Bank to 26 locations since taking the helm in 1999. In 1991, he helped to establish the East Mississippi Community Development Corporation through which local banks join together to provide funding to small businesses who do not qualify for traditional financing, and he continues to serve on the Board of the Corporation.
As a board member of the William Robert Baird Charitable Trust, he has ensured that more than $4.3 million in charitable donations have been made to underprivileged people in the area since 1981. In addition, the majority of the bank’s radio advertising dollars are invested 12 months out of every year, to promote the work of non-profit organizations throughout the state.
He also serves on the Strategic Planning Advisory Council for FIS, the world’s largest provider of banking and payments technology solutions, is a board member for the Meridian Symphony Association, and is also a member of the Bank CEO Network. In 2012, the University of Mississippi’ School of Banking and Finance recognized McDonnell as their Distinguished Alumnus of the Year, and in 2013, he was honored with the Hartley D. Peavey Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence.
McDonnell is a long-time member of Central United Methodist Church in Meridian, where he serves as church treasurer. He and his wife of 39 years, the former Mary McCauley, are parents of a son, two daughters and six grandchildren, with another grandchild on the way. The Gastons and McDonnell will be honored at the June event.
The evening includes dinner and live entertainment as well as both live and silent auctions. The auctions are known for their fine art, decorative items from John Richard Furniture, jewelry, gift cards, trips and so much more!  One of the most popular parts of the auction are the raffle packages.
The Bishop’s Ball is Catholic Charities premier fundraising event and helps to raise money for children’s programs. Cocktails start at 6:30 and dinner is at 7:15. Tickets cost $75 per person and are available on the website, www.catholiccharitiesjackson.org  or through Julie O’Brien. Contact O’Brien by phone at (601)326-3758 or email julie.obrien@catholiccharitesjackson.org.