Sen. Griffo honors Eve Van de Wal as a 2021 Woman of Distinction

At a special ceremony today, state Sen. Joseph Griffo, R-I-C-Rome, recognized Eve Van de Wal as a 2021 New York State Woman of Distinction. 

The award honors women throughout the state who have made outstanding contributions to their communities. Each senator selects an honoree.

“It is an honor to recognize Eve as a New York State Woman of Distinction,” Sen. Griffo said. “From her time as a nurse in the Critical Care Unit of Faxton Hospital to her current role as regional president of the Utica/North Country region for Excellus BlueCrossBlueShield, Eve has made it a priority to give back and help others. She is a positive force in the community and region and is committed to improving the lives of residents and families throughout Upstate New York."

“It is an honor to be included among this amazing group of women and I am humbled to receive this recognition from Sen. Griffo,” Van de Wal said. “As a lifelong resident of the Mohawk Valley, I take great pride in working to improve the health and well-being of our members and our community. It is my privilege to be able to support and contribute to the efforts of the many wonderful community based organizations we have throughout our area focused on creating positive changes that improve the quality of life for the people of our region.”

Eve Van de Wal’s full bio is as follows:

Eve Van de Wal is a Registered Nurse with more than 35 years of extensive and diverse experience in healthcare delivery and health insurance. She joined Excellus BlueCrossBlueShield in 1998 and held several management positions throughout the company before being appointed Regional President of the Utica/North Country region in 2008.

Ms. Van de Wal has made giving back, making a difference, and helping others a priority. She has supported a variety of civic and philanthropic organizations, including the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties, Mohawk Valley EDGE, the United Way of the Mohawk Valley, The American Heart Association, YWCA of the Mohawk Valley, Healthcare Workforce New York, and the Rotary Club of Utica.

Ms. Van de Wal’s efforts to improve the quality of life for Upstate New York have not gone unnoticed. She has received numerous recognitions for her work, including the Catholic Charities of Oneida and Madison Counties Starfish Award; The Genesis Group Joseph R. Carucci Legacy Award; Boys and Girls Club Living Legend Award; The American Red Cross Great Hero Award; The Oneida County Historical Hall of Fame Living Legends Award; the Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow Award; the Successful Women in Business Award of the Mohawk Valley; and the YWCA Salute to Outstanding Women Award for Healthcare.

Ms. Van de Wal received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from SUNY Brockport and Master's Degrees in Health Services Management and Business Administration from SUNY Institute of Technology. She worked for more than a decade in the Critical Care Unit of Faxton Hospital in Utica.

She and her husband, Dale, reside in New Hartford. They have two grown children.