ImageFIRST Announces Top Eight Winners of 5th Annual HeroesFIRST Contest, Celebrating Healthcare Heroes Nationwide

Healthcare Heroes from Texas, Minnesota, Nevada, Rhode Island, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Indiana will be awarded a cash prize for their extraordinary impact on patient care

King of Prussia, PA, Oct. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ImageFIRST®, the leading national provider of linen, laundry and facility services specializing in the healthcare industry, announced the winners of its 5th Annual HeroesFIRST Contest. Each year, ImageFIRST Service Team members recognize exceptional Healthcare Heroes who go above and beyond to positively impact the lives of their patients. This year, more than 600 nominations were submitted nationwide. From those nominations, 20 Healthcare Heroes were selected as finalists. Votes were cast by the public on the contest’s website for the Hero who inspired them the most.   
 
Following the nationwide vote, the Heroes that received the most votes will be awarded a cash prize, totaling $16,500. *   

The 2025 HeroesFIRST Top Eight Winners are:

1. Javen Hinojosa, Edinburg Regional Medical Center in Edinburg, TX
2. Amanda Fricke, Allina Health Surgery Center- Brooklyn Park in Brooklyn Park, MN
3. Emma Young, Canyon Ridge Surgery Center in Las Vegas, NV
4. Taylor Miech, Boston IVF in Providence, RI
5. Talania Cook, Children's West Surgery Center in Knoxville, TN
6. Cheryl Dicus, Durango Outpatient Surgery Center in Las Vegas, NV
7. Anthony Whitley, Novant Health in Winston-Salem, NC
8. Debra Bell, Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center in Middlebury, IN  

*If preferred, an equivalent donation will be made to a charity of their choice. 

Local celebrations will be held for each winner. Details of regional events can be shared with press upon request.   
 
The HeroesFIRST campaign continues to highlight heartwarming stories of healthcare professionals whose quiet acts of kindness and dedication make a lasting difference. “Javen was nominated by our team for his dedication to emergency care and his continuous pursuit of excellence,” says Darwin Trujeque an ImageFIRST Linen Technician in Weslaco, TX. The Weslaco team’s nominee, Javen Hinojosa, was voted one of the top eight winners. “With prior experience as a paramedic, five years as an ER Nurse at STHS Edinburg, and now on the verge of becoming an Emergency Nurse Practitioner, Javen truly embodies the spirit of HeroesFIRST – committed, compassionate, and always ready to serve those in critical need.” 

In expressing his extreme gratitude for the recognition, HeroesFIRST winner and ER Nurse at Edinburg Regional Medical Center, Javen Hinojosa shared, “I am very grateful to have been nominated for the HeroesFIRST award. I never ask to be recognized as I am passionate about what I do, and this is the profession that I chose. I am beyond appreciative for such an opportunity and I want to thank ImageFIRST, my STHS team, friends, family, and supporters for this award.” 

“HeroesFIRST is a reflection of the values we share with the healthcare industry,” says ImageFIRST CEO Edward H. Orzetti. “Every year, we’re moved by the stories of quiet leadership and compassion in action. These individuals don’t seek the spotlight, but their actions speak volumes. This campaign brings those stories forward and reminds us why our work matters.”   

Congratulations to the 2025 HeroesFIRST nominees, including this year’s finalists and runners-up: 

• Trina Kjos, Allina Health Lakeville South Clinic in Lakeville, MN 

• Kala Leugers, Colorectal Surgical & Gastroenterology Associates in Lexington, KY 

• Lisa Harvey, Peninsula Surgery Center in Redwood City, CA 

• Barb Herman, River Road Surgery Center in Salem, OR 

• Brenda Rand, Ronald McDonald House - CMH in Kansas City, MO 

• Liana MacDevitt, Elite Body Sculpture in Houston, TX 

• Nicole Sheehan, Professional Physical Therapy in Newton, MA 

• Marcella Gordon, Christus Children's Hospital in San Antonio, TX 

• Lisa Gilbert, Eyecare Medical Group in Portland, ME 

• Marnie Doyle, The Imaging Center at Johnstown in Johnstown, CO 

• Melanie Nowak, Mercy Hospital Jefferson in Crystal City, MO 

• Tiffany Yuhas, City of Hope in Los Angeles, CA 

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ABOUT IMAGEFIRST 

Founded in 1967, ImageFIRST® is the largest and fastest-growing national provider of linen rental, laundry and facility services, focusing primarily on the healthcare sector. Acquired by private equity firm Calera Capital in 2018, ImageFIRST serves medical facilities nationwide and hospitality customers in select markets. They offer an array of items such as linens, patient/guest garments, essential staff uniforms and supplies, facility service programs, and more while managing their clients’ linen inventory for cost management. With a customer retention rate of over 97%, ImageFIRST is dedicated to improving staff and patient/guest satisfaction through quality linen and remarkable service. As leaders in infection prevention, they currently own and operate the most HLAC-accredited (81 and counting) and TRSA Food Service certified (8) facilities in the industry. For more information, visit imagefirst.com. 

Attachments

• 2025 HeroesFIRST Winners
• HeroesFIRST

Angel Taylor
ImageFIRST
267-806-0058
ataylor@imagefirst.com

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