The Heart of Manatee Memorial Hospital

In celebration of Manatee Memorial Hospital’s 70th anniversary, we took this opportunity to shine a spotlight on several members who are the heart of the hospital. We asked each individual:

1) How long they have been a part of Manatee Memorial Hospital (MMH), 2) Why they are so passionate about what they do and 3) If they have a favorite memory that stands out during their time with MMH.

Ronnie Washington
Security
1: 9 years.
2: I love my job, and this position grew on me. I oversee the security department. But it is really the people that work here. Everyone is very close knit, and it feels like a real family. I like to say the family away from your family. It is the bond that keeps me here.
3: Well, which one do I pick… The best moment for me was when my supervisor surprised me with a CARES award about three years ago. I received the “S”, for supportive.
. The CARES awards are presented twice a year, and each letter is given to a deserving employee who goes the extra mile.

Christine Cummings
Charge Nurse
1: Almost 16 years.
2: Teamwork. We have the best teamwork with our directors, staff, and throughout the hospital. I love my staff and everyone that I work with. I have worked with a few colleagues for a long time.
3: The SunCoast Heart Walk was fun. We also get to celebrate exciting moments, such as birthdays and pregnancies. Fun fact: The Tower building was finished right before I started working here. I also did my nursing clinicals here as well.

Larry Locascio
Volunteer
1: Almost 7 years.
2: My wife was at Manatee Memorial having a procedure done, and I was talking to the nurse. She said with my personality I’d be a good volunteer. While my wife was in surgery, I went down to the Volunteer Office and signed up. Been volunteering ever since!
3: I have three daughters, and they are all nurses. So I have a real passion for the nurses and what they do. All nurses, including the nurses at Manatee, do a marvelous job. I also feel like I am fulfilling some of the promises I made when I was younger being a volunteer, plus this job also gets me out of the house!

Sandra Dean
Environmental Services
1: 25 years.
2: My mom and my cousin both worked here a long time ago.
3: I love to work. Patients like to see me say hello or good morning when I clean their room. I like when I can put a smile on their face, and I am more than happy to help when they call for me.

James Wengerd, PharmD
Director of Pharmacy
1: 16 years
2: When I was 15, my dad had heart disease and he had open heart surgery. There was a medication error, and unfortunately, he passed away. That is why I went to pharmacy school, to prevent something like that from ever happening again. I was on rotations my last year of school, at different hospitals in the area, and I just connected with the people at Manatee. That’s what drives me, my dad’s situation, and the people here. We have a great team. We all have the same mindset of preventing errors and helping patients, and that’s what I want to be a part of.
3: I started out as a decentralized pharmacist out of the floors of the hospital, and I worked with nurses all the time. I was surprised one day when I was asked to join a meeting with my boss. I went in and sat down, and I was recognized with the Friends of Nurses award which I was nominated for by a group of nurses. I did collaborate a lot with them and help them out with customized patient care. That award meant a lot to me.

Teresa Rawe, DO
Medical Director of
Emergency Department

Manatee Chamber of Commerce 2023 Physician of the Year
1: 24 years.
2: I grew up in Bradenton and I’m very passionate about the work I do. Manatee Memorial continues to invest in their patients to provide outstanding care.
3: I’ve worked at Manatee for such a long time I have a book worth of fond memories. One of my favorite recent stories is when one of my close friends collapsed at the Pittsburgh Pirates training facility. Our team was ready in the ER the moment he arrived. He was stabilized, taken to the cardiac catheterization lab, and stayed two days in the hospital. I visited him frequently and had the pleasure of talking with many of his family and friends. Watching firsthand the amazing care that he received and hearing from his family’s perspective, their experience re-affirmed to me that we do amazing things every day at Manatee! We are truly a family of healthcare providers that love to serve our community.

Manatee Memorial Hospital
206 Second Street East Bradenton, FL 34208
941-746-5111 | manateememorial.com

Physicians are on the medical staff of Manatee Memorial Hospital, but, with limited exceptions, are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Manatee Memorial Hospital. The hospital shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians. For language assistance, disability accommodations and the nondiscrimination notice, visit the hospital’s website.