Tod Graeber, administrator of CHI St. Alexius Health Garrison and CHI St. Alexius Health Turtle Lake and director of the Transitional Care Unit in CHI St. Alexius Health Bismarck, was awarded the prestigious Sr. Boniface Timmins Award during CHI St. Alexius Health’s Annual Associate Banquet on October 23, 2018.
Tod is recognized for his leadership and described as an honest man and a man of integrity. He is passionate about rural health care and having thriving facilities that serve their communities. One project he recently initiated is the Dakota Nursing Program, a way to educate nurses at home in order to respond to the nursing shortage. Tod is described as having compassion for the elderly, often walking through the Skilled Nursing Facility in the capacity of a visitor and not as the administrator. One of Tod’s proudest, professional accomplishments is the current five-star rating of the Skilled Nursing Facility achieved by the directors and associates of the facilities. He is very involved in his local community, serving as a volunteer fireman, and currently the Assistant Fire Chief, along with serving as a member of various chamber and area improvement association committees now and over the years.
Sister Nicole Kunze, OSB, Prioress of Annunciation Monastery says, “Tod Graeber embodies the spirit and values of our Benedictine community. His leadership at CHI St. Alexius Health Garrison and Turtle Lake has assisted those facilities in becoming strong centers for rural health care in their communities. His servant leadership within the facilities and in the Garrison community demonstrates that Tod lives the Benedictine tenet of “Let all be received as Christ.” We congratulate Tod and thank him for his faithful service.”
The Sr. Boniface Timmins Award recognizes a person in leadership who emulates the qualities of servant leadership modeled by Sr. Boniface Timmins, administrator of CHI St. Alexius Health for nearly 40 years. She was characterized as an energetic woman, clever and persuasive communicator, skilled at promotion and public relations while being astute with business affairs.
Presenting the award to Tod was Sr. Nicole Kunze, OSB, Prioress of Annunciation Monastery and Kurt Schley, CHI St. Alexius Health President.