The board of directors of St. Luke's Miners Memorial Hospital has unanimously appointed William "Bill" Moyer, as the hospital's president.

Moyer currently serves as a vice president at St. Luke's Hospital (Bethlehem). Moyer will assume his new position on Sept. 30, just in time to participate in a planned celebration honoring the hospital's 100th anniversary; followed by a hospital-sponsored Community Day on Saturday, Oct. 2.In the interim, he will be spending time at St. Luke's Miners and with Ed Nawrocki, interim president, to ensure a smooth leadership transition. Going forward in his new role, Moyer will continue to report to Nawrocki, who will resume his full-time role as president of St. Luke's Quakertown Hospital."I feel like I am going home. My family has long-standing links to Coaldale and the surrounding area," Moyer said. "I remember how important the hospital in Coaldale was to my late grandmother and aunt. Neither of them drove, and it would have been a hardship for them to travel to Allentown or Lehighton for their care. In my new role, I have the opportunity to give something back to the community that has been so important to my family; and putting the needs of the community first will be our priority."Moyer's initial emphasis will focus on establishing meaningful relationships with employees, physicians and the community."It is essential we build relationships based on open communication, understanding and mutual trust and respect," Moyer observes. "I will look to our management team to share ideas on how we can work together to serve our community. So many good things are happening at St. Luke's Miners and it's important we share our story with the people of our community."This great story has roots in the community and also in the support and collaboration the hospital receives from St. Luke's Hospital & Health Network. The Network provides a wide range of expertise and resources that would not otherwise be available to the hospital," Moyer says. Since the merger in 2000, St. Luke's Hospital & Health Network has invested more than $29 million in capital improvements at St. Luke's Miners; including the addition of a new Emergency Department, major technology advancements in the Radiology Department and extensive renovations to inpatient rooms. Other recent highlights include:• Expansion and renovation of the Intensive Critical Care Unit featuring leading-edge technology in critical care.• Relocation and expansion of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Department, to enhance patient access and support services, and the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Department, to improve functional capacity of chronic lung disease patients.• Continued commitment to increase energy efficiency and reduce energy expenses, including installation of new energy-efficient windows.Moyer joined St. Luke's in 1989 and has served as a vice president at the Bethlehem Campus since 2008. He has extensive experience in various aspects of hospital operations and a proven record of strong leadership skills. In his current role, he supervised eight department managers; managed 420 personnel and oversaw a combined departmental operating budget of $27 million. He also administered the capital acquisition process.Moyer earned his bachelor of science and his master of business administration, health care management from DeSales University. He holds membership in a variety of professional organizations including the American College of Healthcare Executives.The new president and his family have long-standing ties to the area and his extended family represents many familiar community names. Moyer was born in Lehighton. His late grandfather, William Moyer and his wife, Lenore (Durnin) of Jim Thorpe, celebrated the births of their four children (Robert, William, Lenore and Thomas) at what is now, St. Luke's Miners Memorial Hospital.Moyer's late grandparents, Frank and Stella Perambo, raised his mother, Joan, and her sister, Barbara, in a home located just one block from the hospital. At one point, his mother worked in the hospital's finance department."I remember taking walks in Coaldale with my grandfather. His friend worked in the hospital's boiler room and we stopped by regularly to visit him. During one visit, my grandfather's friend told me, 'You may be working here some day.'"Moyer's father William, uncle Thomas and aunt Anne Moyer, sister, Lisa Reinhart, and her family live in Jim Thorpe. He also spent many summers while growing up with his late great aunt and uncle, Mary and Frank Ashmore of Tamaqua.Moyer and his wife, Vicky, are active runners and fitness enthusiasts and are active volunteers in various charitable fund-raising events. Vicky is a registered nurse at St. Luke's Quakertown Hospital.