On Sept. 12, Cynthia Brouk, RDN, LD, AHCFA, MBA, will retire from Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare (GVMH) after more than 43 years of dedicated service as a Dietitian and Director.
Brouk joined GVMH in 1982 as the organization’s first full-time registered Dietitian. Since then, she has played a pivotal role in growing the Food and Nutrition Services Department. In 1984, the GVMH Board of Directors approved the addition of a second Dietitian to meet the nutritional needs of both inpatients and outpatients. As demand continued to grow, a third Dietitian was added, dedicated to outpatient services, which expanded to include the Warsaw location.
Later, a Clinical Nutrition Manager was appointed to oversee patient services, including an ADA-approved diabetes skills and self-management program, as well as Home Health, Dialysis and Hospice Services. Today, the team of Dietitians and a Diabetes Nurse Educator provides services across Clinton, Osceola, Warsaw and Windsor, supporting patients with a variety of nutrition-related conditions. They also offer a free monthly diabetes support group in both Clinton and Windsor.
In 2009, GVMH partnered with Don Miller and Associates (DM&A) to introduce one of Missouri’s first hotel-style room service operations. Its success has attracted foodservice teams from across the state to learn from the model. In 2016, the Bistro opened as part of the Outpatient Treatment Center expansion, offering sandwiches, pastries and “We Proudly Serve Starbucks” beverages. The GVMH Food and Nutrition Services team has received multiple awards and recognition for its quality food and service.
“Cynthia built an incredible Food and Nutrition Services team that has consistently been recognized as one of the best in the nation,” said Craig Thompson, CEO at GVMH. “She transformed how we serve food at GVMH. Our patients and staff love it. Her leadership, vision and passion have left a lasting impact, and while we will miss her deeply, we are grateful for everything she has done for this organization and community.”
“GVMH is an organization that truly cares about our patients, as well as the growth of our people,” Brouk said.
During her tenure, Brouk earned an MBA in healthcare management from the University of Dallas through a satellite partnership offered by the GVMH Education Department. She has volunteered with the Henry County and Missouri Heart Associations and served in leadership roles within both local and state dietetic associations, including terms as president. She also served on several committees at the University of Missouri-Columbia, where she earned her undergraduate degree in dietetics in 1977.
Under Brouk’s leadership, GVMH has trained more than a dozen dietetic interns from six different institutions. The focus on education continues today through GVMH’s partnership with the University of Central Missouri (UCM), which provides training opportunities for doctoral students in nutrition and dietetics.
“Nutrition and dietetics is an amazing field of study, and I have been blessed to serve most of my career at GVMH in this amazing community, alongside dedicated providers, leaders and staff,” Brouk said.
