ASHLAND - Although King's Daughter Medical Center just recently got the national recognition, several employees said they always knew it was a family friendly workplace.

In front of a crowd of employees, chil

dren and families, KDMC President/CEO Fred Jackson announced Wednesday that the hospital received two separate honors. The hospital was named as one of the nation's 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers and also as the 2003 Consumer Choice Award winner for Tri-State hospitals.

KDMC participated in "Working Mother" magazine's 18th annual workplace assessment and was recognized as one of the top 100 companies for working mothers in the October issue.

Businesses of all sizes and types enter the annual assessment. Past winners include the Eastman Kodak Company, General Motors, IBM, Pfizer Inc. and Johnson & Johnson Company. This was the first year KDMC applied.

"What has made us so successful in our 104 years?" Jackson asked. "I can truly say it is the talent, energies and dedication of the people that make up our organization. Our culture is the thing that makes the organization work. It is the heart and soul of what makes it work every day."

King's Daughters was lauded for its variety of family friendly offerings, including the on-site Child Development Center, flexible scheduling, on-site banking, work-at-home opportunities and the percentage of women in management positions and earning top pay at the medical center.

Overall, 79 percent of KDMC employees are female - making up 70 percent of management and 80 percent of top earners at the hospital.

Larry Higgins, vice president of learning and human resources, said that it was

a historic day for the hospital that was only made possible by the 2,500 employees, 300 volunteers and 200 physicians.

"The people of this organization is the golden thread that weaves its way through KDMC," Higgins said.

"Working Mother" magazine, founded in 1979, reaches more than 3 million readers monthly and is the only national magazine for career-committed mothers. Representatives from hospital will attend the Working Mother Awards Ceremony and conference in New York City next week.

Several Lawrence County mothers working at the hospital said they have always known that it was a great place to work.

Ironton resident Angie Renfroe, a patient care manager in the cardiac intervention unit, has worked at KDMC for 6 years.

Her oldest son, Chayden, 4, was a part of the day care before his younger brother Devin was born about a year ago. Because Devin was born with a medical condition that requires special needs, Renfroe's mother-in-law now takes care of the children while Angie and her husband Chad are working.

"The hospital really supported me when Devin was born. The support was phenomenal," Angie said. "It was really a tough time in my life. I have a lot more friends than I thought I did."

Visits to other hospitals with Devin has made Angie really appreciate King's Daughters.

"I went to other hospitals and I waited for someone to make eye contact with me, and they never did," Angie said. "Here, everyone looks you in the eye and gives you a smile. I couldn't wait to get back here."

Tammy Khounlavong, is an LPN from South Point. After 5 years at the hospital, she said she has been impressed with the flexible scheduling and the wonderful day care that the two

youngest of her three children - Eryn, 9, Ryan, 5, and Madeline, 2 - have been a part of.

Madeline still goes to the day care every day and enjoyed playing ball in the gym Wednesday as her mother stopped in for a visit.

"As far as working here, I would recommend that anyone work here because they really take care of their employees," Tammy said. "As far as bringing your family here, I would not take mine anywhere else. After I worked here just a short time, I knew this was where I wanted to bring my family."

The honors did not just stop with "Working Mother" magazine.

Jackson announced that the hospital was named a 2003 Consumer Choice Award, according to the National Research Corporation, and is listed in the September issue of "Modern Healthcare" magazine.

King's Daughters ranked first in categories that included the most preferred for all health needs, the latest technology and equipment, widest range of services, most conveniently located and the best community health programs.

Each year, National Research Corporation honors those hospitals whose customers rate as having the best quality and image. Locally, the survey was completed by 377 people in Boyd, Greenup, and Carter counties in Kentucky; Lawrence County, Ohio and Cabell and Wayne counties in West Virginia.