This year, 46 nominations were received for Modern Healthcare's annual Trustee of the Year awards program, co-sponsored by executive search firm Witt/Kieffer, based in Oak Brook, Ill.

Nominations were accepted from Oct. 3 to Dec. 16, 2011. There were four categories in the competition: large hospitals, those with 100 or more staffed beds; small hospitals, those with fewer than 100 staffed beds; not-for-profit healthcare systems; and for-profit healthcare companies.

Honorees were chosen by Modern Healthcare's senior editors. Per editorial policy, award sponsors are not involved in the judging or determination of award recipients. All profiles were written by Linda Wilson, a former Modern Healthcare reporter and now a freelance writer in McHenry, Ill. Contact her at lindajwilson@comcast.net.