Perry Memorial Hospital Board appoints Patricia Luker as interim CEO

PRINCETON — The Perry Memorial Hospital Board of Directors announced Tuesday the appointment of Patricia Luker as interim CEO effective May 4.

Luker will replace CEO Annette Schnabel, who has accepted another health care position in Farmington, Mo.

The interim CEO will serve in this role until the appointment of a permanent CEO is made, according to a news release issued Tuesday afternoon by the hospital.

Luker comes to Perry Memorial Hospital with more than 25 years of successful health care leadership experience in rural and Critical Access Hospital administration as well as municipal, independent and health care system hospitals.

She brings expertise in financial management, recruitment, quality of service, patient satisfaction, and employee relationships, according to the news release.

She has received numerous awards for the excellence of her leadership skills and has been actively engaged in the communities of the hospitals in which she has served.  She retired in July 2019 as CEO of Holy Family Medical Center in Monmouth.

Luker holds a Master of Healthcare Administration and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Indiana University. She has extensive professional affiliations in health care, including serving as a charter member of the Board of Directors for the Illinois Critical Access Network and later as the president of this organization, the American College of Healthcare Executives, the Illinois Health and Hospital Association and many local community organizations.

“We are fortunate to have someone of Patricia's caliber stepping into this interim rule, and it will be helpful that she will have time with Annette to provide the continuum of leadership necessary for a smooth transition for PMH” said Linda Gustafson, chairwoman of the PMH Board of Directors.