THE TWILIGHT OF A HEALTHCARE LUMINARY:

Cris Rivera Bids Adieu To A Storied Career

By Dr. Kimberly Selber

As the sun sets on a remarkable epoch in the annals of the healthcare industry, Cris Rivera, the esteemed Chief Executive Officer of Rio Grande Regional Hospital, has announced her retirement after four decades of unwavering dedication and service. The illustrious journey of Rivera’s career in healthcare commenced as a phlebotomist during her collegiate years, eventually leading her to Rio Grande

Regional Hospital in 1982, where she first assumed the role of a lab supervisor.

Following a tenure as the Chief Operations Officer at Valley Regional Medical Center in Brownsville, Texas, Rivera served as the Chief Executive Officer at HCA Healthcare affiliate facilities in Louisiana and Kansas. In 2012, she returned to the familiar corridors of Rio Grande Regional Hospital, serving as its Chief Executive Officer for the past ten years.

Throughout her 40-year career, Rivera has been a paragon of personal and professional excellence, steadfastly committed to her community, patients, and colleagues. Her exceptional contributions to Rio Grande Regional Hospital during her decade-long tenure as CEO are unparalleled. Under her astute leadership, the hospital secured its status as a Best Place to Work for four consecutive years, attained a primary stroke and chest pain center designation, and garnered a Healthgrades 5-Star Recipient accolade. The US News and World Report also lauded the hospital for its excellence in treating COPD, pneumonia, kidney failure, diabetes, and heart failure.

The accolades did not cease there; Rio Grande Regional Hospital was christened a National Top 100 Hospital by IBM Watson and was the first in the HCA Healthcare Gulf Coast Division to achieve a 3-star rating for the CABG procedure.

However, Rivera’s steadfast dedication to her community and colleagues is equally laudable. The Rio Grande Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Texas State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce honored her with a Women of Distinction award. Additionally, she held the position of Vice-Chair at the McAllen Chamber of Commerce, McAllen ISD Education Foundation President, and Chairwoman for the local Texas Workforce Solutions Board. As a proud member of the South Texas Rotary,

Rivera’s indelible impact resonates far beyond the confines of the hospital walls.

Rivera’s retirement is bittersweet as her extraordinary career, and unyielding commitment to the betterment of healthcare and her community have earned her the deep respect and admiration of her colleagues and peers.

In her farewell reflections, Rivera expressed her gratitude, stating, “After 40 years with HCA, I have so many people to thank, starting with my family, friends, and colleagues who supported me throughout my career.” She continued, “Among those at the top of the list are all of you who trusted me and the entire Rio Grande Regional Hospital team to provide you with the quality and compassionate healthcare services you have come to expect.”

Cris Rivera’s legacy of excellence will indubitably continue to inspire and enlighten those in the healthcare industry for generations to come. As she passes the baton to her successor, Laura Disque, Rivera expressed her confidence in the hospital’s continued success, stating, “I am confident that Rio Grande Regional Hospital will continue to excel and play a pivotal role in the future of healthcare in the Rio Grande Valley, especially in the hands of my successor, Laura Disque. She is a nurse by profession and very quickly became a proficient executive at RGRH. I wish Laura much success as she begins her journey as a leader you can trust.”

Carlos Melguizo Co-Owner, Carats

I CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S KALE SALAD!

Since I have been diabetic for over 40 years, I am always looking for easy, healthy recipes. This Kale chopped salad is one of my favorites since you can’t really tell it’s kale. I frequently accompany it with grilled salmon, chicken, or shrimp. Also, the secret ingredient is my dear friend Bill Ruppert’s famous Dijon Vinaigrette. It has become a staple item in my kitchen; once it’s done, you can save it and even use it to marinate chicken, fish, or meat.

Toss all this together, and voila! You have an incredible salad that even the greatest of kale cynics will enjoy. This kale salad will keep in the fridge for three days, so it’s great for work lunches and as a standby side!

INGREDIENTS

3 Cups finely chopped kale

½ cup of golden raisins

1 cup of quinoa (prepared according to package)

½ cup finely grated pecorino cheese

½ cup chopped pecans

½ cup Bill’s Dijon vinaigrette Pepper

Bill’s Famous Dijon Vinaigrette

INGREDIENTS

2 Cups of Olive Oil

1 Cup of Vinegar

2 Shallots (finely minced)

4 Garlic Cloves (finely minced)

Pepper to taste

Dijon mustard (preferably HEB’s brand)

Instructions: Mix all the ingredients except olive oil in a bowl, then slowly whisk the olive oil until it gets emulsified and creamy.This will last for a long time in your fridge.

Strawberry Dream Dessert

This recipe has been in our family for 40 years. This dessert was originally given to my brother by a family member, but through the years, I’ve tweaked it quite a bit. I like it with strawberries for Spring and Summer and with cherries for Fall and Winter.

Topping:

1 large container of fresh strawberries that have been hulled, rinsed, dried, and cut in half. Add 1 package of strawberry glaze and toss together. I make my own strawberry glaze, but a storebought one works great too!

Instructions

Heat oven to 350

For crust: Spray a 9 x 13 pan with nonstick spray In a bowl, mix flour, softened butter, and sugar until crumbly.

Add pecans and pour into prepared 9 x 13 pan and press till it’s even. Bake for 20. It will be slightly golden around the edges. Cool completely

Filling: In a mixing bowl, combine one cup of whipping cream with the 2 packages of Dream Whip. Whip on high for 3-4 minutes and set aside. In another bowl, whip the remaining cup of whipping cream and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until stiff peaks. Add this mixture to the Dream Whip mixture but do not mix yet. Refrigerate

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups of flour

1 1/2 sticks of butter (softened)

2 Tbs sugar

1 1/2 roughly chopped pecans

2 cups heavy whipping cream

2 - 8 oz cream cheese (softened)

2 packages Dream Whip

4 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

Cowboy Up

Photography By Adrian Alfaro

The Boys and Girls Club of Edinburg’s 14th Annual Steak in your Community 2023 signature fundraiser of the year was a tremendous success. From the delicious cuisine prepared and generously donated by the Palacios Family Endowment to the live music by the River Rock Band to the grand announcement of the Youth of the Year scholarship recipient and Guest Honoree Former DA Ricardo Rodriguez, every detail made this special event unforgettable.

Support from committed sponsors, community partners, businesses, and guests helped the Boys and Girls Club raise thousands of crucial funds for character and leadership, career and education, health and life skills, the arts, and sports, fitness, and recreation programs. This year was record-breaking, surpassing their initial fundraising goal and allowing the Boys and Girls Club of Edinburg to award over $10,000 in scholarships to the top 2023 Youth of the Year recipients.