Submitted article--Working as a health care professional in a rural community comes with its own special challenges and opportunities. In Haida Gwaii, Queen Charlotte Islands General Hospital Site Manager Kerry Laidlaw is a trusted and celebrated member of the community on Haida Gwaii. He is also now recognized for his Excellence in Nursing Administration."Kerry understands the parameters of what services can safely be provided in a small and isolated community," says Northern Health Board president and CEO Cathy Ulrich, RN. "He works to ensure that the services are available and provided as efficiently as possible."The award, by the College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia, is given to those who have made outstanding contributions to their profession. Recipients are nominated by their peers through a rigorous process and must demonstrate outstanding performance in at least four of CRNBC's six professional standards. Just a few dozen winners are chosen from over 35,000 registered nurses in B.C.Kerry's commitment to providing quality health care is equaled only in his deep dedication to helping his community. Overcoming aging infrastructure and the traditional difficulties in rural areas for recruiting and keeping key personnel, he has managed to get new funding and programs to improve services in his area. Likewise, his clinical work and mentorship of nurses and staff have helped to keep the hospital and clinics operating effectively.Some highlights of Kerry's achievements:Effective nursing administration (budgets, allocation of resources, streamlining operations). Developed the Haida Gwaii Cancer Care centre. This has allowed the community to provide some level of local support including chemotherapy and other cancer services. Brought the MOREOB (Managing Obstetrical Risk Efficiently) program into the hospital, leading instruction for staff. Proven ability to recruit and retain key health care personnel.