The Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce presented its annual Healthy Hall Awards at a luncheon on March 4, 2026, and four Longstreet Clinic providers and employees were among those honored. The Healthy Hall Awards celebrate those in the healthcare industry who are making a significant impact on our quality of life through excellence in health and wellness.
The awards were presented by Awards were presented by Dr. Stuart Downs, Chief Nursing Executive, Northeast Georgia Health System, Mimi Collins, Administrator, Longstreet Clinic, and Tim Evans, President & CEO, Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce
Meet our 2026 LC honorees
Visionary Award
Amelia “Mimi” Collins
Mimi Collins has served as CEO of Longstreet Clinic in Gainesville since it was founded in 1995, overseeing the multi-specialty medical group of some 700 people with offices in nine Northeast Georgia cities. A longtime Chamber supporter and recipient of the Distinguished Citizen Award, she assisted in the formation of Vision 2030’s Healthcare Initiative. She is a trailblazing force in the world of healthcare, though her influence stretches far beyond the clinic’s walls. From Lake Lanier Olympic Park and WomenSource to United Way and a founding member of the Glory, Hope & Life (a nonprofit that works locally to enrich the lives of cancer patients, survivors and caregivers) – her engagement showcases her passion for community service that has not only impacted lives but also garnered her a series of well-deserved accolades.
Physician of the Year
Robert Richard, M.D.,
Longstreet Clinic Center for Weight Management
Dr. Robert Richard’s belief that obesity can be and in many situations is a chronic lifetime disease, has driven his vision of care delivery into his practice. This passion is what has driven Longstreet’s Bariatric surgical practice to become a multi-disciplinary comprehensive practice that includes medical weight loss providers, nutritionists, patient navigators and surgeons. “One of the most frustrating patients is the gastric bypass patient who has gained weight back,” he says. “Mostly this is due to a return of old habits. However, we often find treatable conditions, if we take the time and effort to look for them. It is very gratifying to get this group of patients back on the road to a healthy lifestyle.” Dr. Richard is recognized by the Surgical Review Corporation as a Surgeon of Excellence in Robotic and Minimally Invasive Surgery. He has performed over 7,000 bariatric surgeries in his professional lifetime.
Healthcare Worker of the Year
Heidi Pritchett
Heidi Pritchett, Director of Operations at Longstreet, is one of Longstreet’s strongest leaders. Known for her people management skills, she creates a positive work environment, and her team describes her as supportive, dependable, approachable, and devoted to what’s best for patients. Heidi joined Longstreet after a 20-year career at NGHS. She is also a member of the 2026 Leadership Hall Class. Heidi’s ability to show empathy and develop trust with patients, colleagues, staff, and providers is like her secret power. She is calm under pressure and always demonstrates respect and brings any group together to focus on what is the right thing for patients and employees.
Advanced Practice Provider of the Year
Mercedes Hall, FNP-C
Mercedes Hall, FNP-C, is a certified Family Nurse Practitioner and bariatric specialist at Longstreet’s Center for Weight Management. She joined Longstreet in 2021 with over a decade of nursing experience, including as a bariatric nurse in North Georgia. She is Certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery Interpreters. After first working as a nurse, Mercedes’ passion for helping patients on their lifelong journey to better health, she went back to school for her nurse practitioner degree. She is known for being compassionate and her patients love her. Her colleagues describe her as a joy to work with.
