The summer of 2011 brought severe heat, violent storms, a stomach-churning legislative session and a Dow Jones tilt-a-whirl. No wonder we're ready for cooler weather, cooler heads and a fresh perspective.

A renewed outlook can be a powerful thing—particularly for healthcare organizations as they face the growing uncertainty of an unsteady economy, health reform and countless other challenges. Hospitals and health systems are pushing to retool and find more efficient ways to move from strategy to execution, and people are the key to making it happen.

What better group to bring an organization's plans to life than the Up & Comers of 2011. They are innovative, optimistic and bring a fresh approach to improving outcomes, reducing costs and aligning incentives.

This year's winners are all the more remarkable given unprecedented demands on the nation's delivery system and the increasing complexity of their jobs. Equally impressive is their unfailing enthusiasm for mission and vision, dedication to caring for patients and commitment to healthier communities.

Witt/Kieffer has been proud to sponsor Modern Healthcare's Up & Comers program since 1997. Each year, extraordinary winners emerge who represent the best of young, talented healthcare leaders. We encourage you to read about the exciting, forward-thinking accomplishments of the class of 2011, and imagine the cool new perspectives they might bring to the future of healthcare. That, in itself, is refreshing.