ST. LOUIS (Sept. 20, 2005) SSM Health Care - St. Louis announced today that Kenneth W. Lukhard will resign as president of SSM St. Mary’s Health Center on Nov. 1 to accept a position as chief executive officer over a major two-hospital campus near Chicago, Ill. SSMHC-St. Louis also announced that Sr. Susan Scholl, FSM, currently St. Mary’s Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer, will become the new president of St. Mary’s.

Lukhard, 52, is leaving to become president of the 695-bed Advocate Christ Medical Center and 64-bed Advocate Hope Children’s Hospital in Oak Lawn, Ill. Lukhard joined SSMHC-St. Louis in 1999, when he was named Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer for SSM St. Joseph Hospital West. He became president of St. Mary’s in 2000. Under Lukhard’s leadership, St. Mary’s has enjoyed a financial turnaround that has significantly grown operating margin as well as patient volume and market share. The hospital was recently named a Solucient Top 100 Heart Hospital.

“During his career, Ken’s leadership and team building talents have spurred growth and made an impact wherever he has served,” said Mike Graue, executive vice president, network operations, SSMHC-St. Louis. “Ken has done an exceptional job emphasizing mission and meeting community health needs while exceeding the challenging business expectations placed upon today’s hospitals.”

Scholl, 59, joined St. Mary’s in 2001 after a six-year elected term in congregational leadership with the Franciscan Sisters of Mary. 

Scholl’s previous health care experience includes serving as executive vice president/COO at St. Marys Hospital Medical Center in Madison, Wisc. She also served in a leadership position at the former St. Mary’s Hospital in Kansas City, as well as in other roles in a variety of SSMHC hospitals. Scholl started her career as a nurse at St. Mary’s Health Center. Scholl holds a bachelor’s degree from Saint Louis University, a master’s degree from Indiana University, and an MBA from Duke University. SSMHC-St. Louis will begin an immediate search for Scholl’s replacement as St. Mary’s COO.

“We are incredibly fortunate to have someone like Sr. Susan to assume leadership of St. Mary’s,” Graue said. “Her compassion and dedication to our mission, combined with her outstanding health care experience, will help St. Mary’s evolve and grow while maintaining exceptional service to its patients.”