During a recent gala, KNIA/KRLS General Manager Jim Butler was honored for his years of service to the hospital board.

Butler was presented with the Dr. Earl McKeever Award of Excellence at the Knoxville Hospital and Clinics Foundation Annual Night Out at the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum Saturday evening.

According to Knoxville Hospital & Clinics Director of Public Relations and Foundation Katrina Nelson, the McKeever Award of Excellence is given annually to an individual who exhibits acts of excellence through their involvement in work and the community. Past recipients of the McKeever Award of Excellence are: Dr. Earl McKeever, the late Dr. George Andrew, Laura Hugen, Dr. Ted Eller, Barb Anderson, the late Howard & Phyllis Aleff, John Gotta, and Mel Suhr.

The theme for this year’s gala was “Eat, Drink, and be Giving”. The guest speaker for this semi-formal attire event was Dave Sanderson, best known for his part during “The Miracle on the Hudson”, as he helped many people make it out safely after US Airways Flight 1549 crashed into the Hudson River on January 15th, 2009.