St. Luke’s Hospital Foundation is pleased to announce that Jo Ann McMillan and Catherine Norris have joined the board of trustees and each will serve a three-year term. 

Jo Ann McMillan graduated from Lander University as a registered nurse in 1976. She continued her education while working at Self Memorial Hospital for 15 years, completing a B.S. degree in business at Lander University, and a master’s degree in healthcare administration from the Medical University of South Carolina. While at Self Memorial, Jo Ann was a registered nurse and also worked as the director of Health Education, planning associate to the vice president of planning, and as the director for the Recovery Center.

After moving to Spartanburg in 1992, Jo Ann became the first executive director of the Spartanburg Regional Health System Foundation. Starting from scratch, SRHS Foundation became the fastest growing foundation in the state of South Carolina for several years. While at SRHS, Jo Ann also served as vice president of SRHS and initiated the Healthy Partners magazine. 

Jo Ann has served in various capacities for many organizations including the National Society of Fundraising Executives, Sigma Theta Tau National Nursing Honor Society, SC Hospital Association Society of Healthcare Planning and Marketing, SC Hospital Association Society of Educators and the Association of Fundraising Professionals. She has been a member of the SC Hospital Association for Fund Development and the Association of Healthcare Philanthropy as a member, a board member, conference planner, and speaker.
Jo Ann also received the Association Healthcare Philanthropy Award for an eight-state region in 1994, for her development and implementation of the ‘employee campaign.’

Locally, Jo Ann has been a member of the Rotary Club of Tryon since 2004 and served as president of Rotary Club of Tryon Foundation for six years. She was presented the Joseph W. Wells Award for Outstanding Service for 2009 – 2010.

Jo Ann married Marion McMillan in 2001 and moved to Tryon. They have four daughters and one son and enjoy all of their grandchildren – four grandsons and one granddaughter. Jo Ann has many hobbies and interests including being a Master Gardner in both South Carolina and North Carolina. Jo Ann is a native of Oklahoma.

Catherine Norris, a licensed registered nurse, graduated with her BSN from Marquette University and with her MBA from Cardinal Stritch University, both in Milwaukee, Wisc. Cathy served as an emergency nurse at Fitsimons Army Medical Center in Denver, Colo. from 1985-1989. Cathy has extensive healthcare experience including working as a physician clinic administrator, as the director of emergency services and a manager of health promotion and community marketing.

Also notable is Cathy’s position as faculty instructor and student advisor at USC in Columbia. She also worked as the director of Crimson Physician Quality Initiative and Education for Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas. Currently, Cathy serves as the director of Physician Network Services and the assistant vice president of Population Health and Physician Network Support Services for Lexington Medical Center in West Columbia, S.C. In this capacity, Cathy is responsible for numerous aspects of the medical center including the systemwide population health programs, all physician network quality programs, patient satisfaction, education and development programs and more!

Cathy, her husband and son live at Lake Adger in Mill Spring.

The 2016 – 2017 SLH Foundation Board of Trustees officers are Larry Wassong, chair; Jay Geddings, vice chair; Sherry Dashiell, secretary; and Roger Newman, treasurer.

The St. Luke’s Hospital Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization established in 1991 to support one of our community’s most valuable assets, St. Luke’s Hospital. It is made up of citizens who have joined together to raise funds for new equipment, facility improvements, educational programs, and the foundation’s endowment.

A gift to the foundation is tax deductible. Contributions are always needed and appreciated and enable St. Luke’s to maintain the highest level of patient care. Visit the foundation office at 89 West Mills Street, Suite B, Columbus or call Meshelle Colvin, executive director, at 828-894-2693.

– article submitted by Jennifer Wilson