Two hospital board members honored for their service

(Left to right): WMC Board of Trustees members Arlene Houlihan, Ben Wyatt and David Gehling and WMC Chief Administrative Officer Gretchen Dahlen

Two members of the Winneshiek Medical Center Board of Trustees served at their last meeting on Wednesday evening.  Arlene Houlihan and David Gehling decided not to seek re-election in November.

Dr. Gehling is a Decorah chiropractor appointed to the hospital board in April of 2011 to serve the remainder of the term of Don Nelson.  Gehling is a 1990 Luther College graduate who then attended the Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport.

WMC Chief Administrative Officer Gretchen Dahlen praised Gehling for stepping in and serving on the hospital board, calling him "a quick study."

Houlihan has served 13 years on the hospital board, including 2 years as vice chair.  Dahlen praised Houlihan for her passion and for the way she "says what needs to be said."

Houlihan said her time on the hospital board "is one of the proudest things I've done."  She pointed to the $18 million expansion of the hospital and the expansion of the hospital board to seven members as achievements during her 13 years on the board.