By This post is sponsored by Careismatic Brands.
On Thursday, October 22nd, Mike Singer, CEO of Careismatic Brands, accepted the 2020 ANA Champion of Nursing Award at the National Awards and President’s Awards Ceremony.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the event was virtual, with nurses and professionals across the healthcare industry tuned into Zoom and Facebook to watch the recipients give their acceptance speeches remotely.
What is the Champion of Nursing Award?
The Nurse Championship Award is reserved for those who aren’t members of the nursing profession but are leaders who have “demonstrated a commitment to the ANA core mission through distinguished service and valuable assistance to the nursing profession as well as recognition of and support for registered nurses.”
The American Nurses Association (ANA) first announced the winners of the prestigious award back in May. Other winners included Patricia La Brosse, MS, RN, PMHCNS-BC, from the Louisiana State Nurses Association, and Cynthia Zolnierek, PhD, RN, CAE, of the Texas Nurses Association.
Honoring Mike Singer
As the CEO of Careismatic Brands, the largest supplier of scrubs in the world, Mike Singer has been showing his support for nurses for years. The company sells quality uniforms that help nurses stay comfortable and confident on the floor and includes the brands Cherokee Uniforms, Dickies Medical, and Tooniforms, which features a range of pop culture characters. Singer was nominated by David R. Marshall, senior vice president and chief nursing executive at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Singer took over Cherokee Inc.’s medical uniform division in 1990. Five years later, he bought the company and formed Strategic Partners Inc. (SPI), now known as Careismatic Brands. Under his leadership, the company has expanded into more than 70 international markets.
Careismatic has been giving to non-profit organizations that support healthcare workers since it was founded. Over the course of the pandemic, the company has donated $1 million in medical scrubs to healthcare organizations and facilities that have been impacted by COVID-19.
Singer has also been an ardent supporter of the DAISY Foundation, which honors excellence in nursing. He founded the Cherokee Nursing Scholarship, which provides up to $2,000 to DAISY Award honorees looking to further their education.
When accepting the award, Singer said:
“This was a complete surprise and I thank the ANA for their thoughtful recognition – I am truly humbled by this award. More than ever, this year the world has seen the extraordinary work nurses do day-in and day-out during this pandemic. We have witnessed nurses’ courage and dedication as they put themselves, and their families, at risk to save lives. We salute nurses’ strength, bravery and the care that they bring to work.”
Despite the festivities, the pandemic was still very much top of mind. 2020 has been a year unlike any in recent memory. Nurses will continue to feel the effects of the pandemic for years to come. Our nation’s heroes need all the support they can get as the world continues to deal with the fallout of the crisis. Singer is proud to support the nursing community and looks forward to serving them in the future.
