By John R. Schirmer
News-Leader staff
Summer Harrison has been named the new director of the Howard Memorial Hospital Foundation. The Delight native started the job late last month. She succeeds Amelia Moorer.
Harrison’s background is in the financial industry, including “every aspect of banking you can imagine,” she said.
A Delight High School graduate, Harrison received a business administration degree with an emphasis in marketing from Southern Arkansas University. “I felt like it was my niche. It felt like the right path for me,” Harrison said of her major.
“I’m excited to get to use that piece of my knowledge” in the foundation director’s role.
Harrison found out about the job from a hospital employee and decided to apply for it. She was hired in May and began working at HMH in June.
Harrison is “looking forward to serving the community of Nashville and the surrounding area. We’re already in the planning stage for the [HMH] gala, which will be held Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018.
“We hope to soon have a theme and start the planning phase,” she said.
Harrison wants to “build awareness in general. It’s an asset to have a hospital here in a rural area. I didn’t know all the things the hospital has to offer” until she became foundation director.
Harrison plans to be “readily available to the community. I will visit business, civic clubs in the surrounding area. The more people we serve, the better the awareness about Howard Memorial. I love the support of the community and want to grow support for the hospital.”
Before coming to Nashville, Harrison worked in Texarkana, where she also volunteered with a number of organizations. She was a committee member for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. About 70 volunteers participated. Harrison was a member of Kiwanis at Texarkana and helped with the club’s 5K event.
“I enjoy volunteering. Anything to help the next person,” she said.
Harrison and her husband Heath have two sons, Hudson and Hayden. “We enjoy anything outdoors. I love to camp at the lake as much as possible. I love to watch baseball and most sporting activities. I love to cook.”
She spends a lot of time with her family for “whatever they’re interested in at the time.”
Harrison is “ready to dive in and meet everyone. I have an open door policy. I love to talk to people,” she said.
