By John R. Schirmer
News-Leader staff
Amelia Moorer, executive director of the Howard Memorial Hospital Foundation, has submitted her resignation from the position effective Friday, April 14.
Moorer notified the foundation’s board of directors and HMH CEO Debra Wright of her decision earlier this month. She and her husband Bill have made the decision to purchase Pic-A-Lily Flowers of Nashville.
“With a son beginning college in Searcy, another very active in high school sports, and a daughter just beginning to find her own extracurricular interests, Bill and I feel owning my own business will offer a more flexible environment to accommodate the often chaotic schedule of our lives. Although I realize the florist business will afford its own set of restrictions and stresses, it is a business that my family can participate in and help grow,” Moorer said.
Gary Dan Futrell, chairman of the foundation board, said the organization has been “extremely blessed to have Amelia. She’s done an outstanding job. I hate to see her go. I enjoyed working with her every single day. I wish her the best. We’re thankful for the job she’s done.”
Moorer “will be hard to replace. Not just anybody can do the job she did and have the creative mind to do the gala,” Futrell said.
Futrell said that Wright will advertise the job opening and put out applications. Interviews will be conducted during the hiring process.
Moorer said that being foundation director “has been both a privilege and a humbling experience for me. I have grown in both leadership and in skill, and I’ve come to appreciate our community deeply.”
Moorer said that when she began the job at HMH, Dr. Sam Peebles told her that “every job you have prepares you for the next one … I completely agree with Dr. Peebles’ statement.”
Moorer said she has been “blessed by having a board of directors that was not only knowledgeable and strong in character, but a joy to be around. My appreciation for Howard Memorial Hospital continues, and I hope you will call upon me for any help or support you may need in the future.”
