Arnot Health hires chief development officer

ELMIRA  —  Arnot Health has created a new executive position in charge of fundraising.

The health-care system, which serves the Southern Tier of New York and Northern Tier of Pennsylvania, hired Susan Rigo as its vice president of development and chief development officer. She started work in early December.

She is charged with installing an integrated philanthropic structure across Arnot Health’s system. That means working with staff members in different hospital foundation departments.

“My goal is to create a comprehensive development effort that complements and deepens the successful efforts already in place,” Rigo said in a news release.

“The strongest asset I bring to Arnot Health is being able to build relationships with trust throughout the community and the organization, and then connecting the two together for philanthropy that will further its mission,” she added.

 Rigo comes to Arnot Health from St. Luke’s Health Care Foundation in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She was the interim president and CEO there. She has also been in leadership roles at community health-care foundations in central Illinois, Hampton Roads, Va., and Allentown, Pa. Her industry experience totals more than 20 years.

“We are pleased to have Ms. Rigo join the leadership team at Arnot Health,” Arnot Health President and CEO Anthony Cooper said. “Her successful and extensive development experience in the community hospital setting will help us integrate our philanthropic efforts and advance them to the next level. Her hiring is a positive step towards ensuring the health of our organization, especially as we strive to diversify our funding streams.”

Arnot Health, a not-for-profit health-care system with three hospitals, has 809 licensed beds. It includes over 300 physicians representing more than 50 specialties.

Contact Seltzer at rseltzer@cnybj.com