By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

Although St. Luke Hospital’s foundation director and marketing director will be retiring at the end of the month, the hospital is likely to delay hiring a replacement until giving thought to what skills it wants for the position and whether it should hire one person or two for the duties.

“I had recommended that they think about how the position is structured,” retiring director Michael Perigo said.

Foundation board president Sally Hannaford also will be stepping down. Ryan Edmundson is expected to be elected as board president, Perigo said.

Half of Perigo’s job is working for the foundation. The other half of his job is for the hospital.

“They are very different jobs,” Perigo said. “Half of me reports to the chief executive of the hospital and half of me reports to the board of the foundation.”

The hospital wants to make a smart decision about what skills the person they hire should have, Perigo said.

“They are going to pull back and reevaluate the position,” he said. “Once they have a better sense of where they want to go, then they’ll have a better idea of where they are going.”

Perigo said he planned to ensure that charitable gifts in December are credited and that thank-you letters are sent to donors.

“December is traditionally a more active time of the year for charitable giving,” he said.

Selecting a foundation director and marketing director probably will take more than 60 days, hospital chief executive Alex Haines said.