Dozens of friends, family members and co-workers gathered Thursday to mark a Blue Mountain Health System board member's retirement, and to celebrate the dedication of a room at The Summit Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in his honor.

Conrad Biege will retire at the end of this month after 19 years of service on the BMHS board of directors, including four years as chairman."Normally, we don't do this. After a member leaves us after years of service, we give them a small gift," said BMHS CEO Andrew Harris. "But to me, this was very special."Harris noted that Biege's tenure included some critical times in Blue Mountain's history, including the merging of Gnaden Huetten and Palmerton hospitals into one health system."It was a vision that the two boards had, to bring these competing hospitals together, and at the end of the day to build a system that would better serve the community," added Harris, noting that while Biege served as a volunteer on the board, it became nearly a full-time job during and immediately after the merger."Thank you for everything that you've done for Blue Mountain," said Harris.Biege noted that the success of the merger wouldn't have been possible without his fellow board members, and thanked the members who had served during his 19 years and the current board, as well as the staff members at BMHS."There is no 'I' in team," he said. "This recognition is well appreciated, but it takes more than one person to make this a success. And I think we have been successful."He noted that before the merger, both Gnaden Huetten and Palmerton hospitals were losing substantial amounts of money each year; this has since turned around and the health system is now operating "in the black.""Blue Mountain is here today because of Conrad Biege," added Harris. "He's a determined individual, and the community of Carbon County and the surrounding area should be very thankful to Conrad."Lisa Johnson, vice president of public relations at BMHS, noted that Room 117 at the Summit, the room dedicated to Beige, is the first room to be fully renovated but not the last. Rooms in both hospitals are all being renovated and about 80 percent are completed. The Summit also plans to renovate each room over time, using Room 117 as a new standard of decor.Additions to the room included wainscoting, which has been done in each residential room throughout the building; new flooring in a hardwood pattern; and new furniture and window treatments."This is our residents' home," she added. "It needs to be inviting, and pleasing for the residents as well as for family and friends. This should be like their living room."