Twenty-three people applied for the director post with the Panhandle Health District by the July 15 deadline.

The selection committee of the PHD Board of Health will be reviewing resumes and conducting interviews in order to select their recommendation to become the next director.

Every candidate will be screened by three PHD executives and the board selection committee. The board selection committee will review all candidates to determine who they want to interview. Once interviews are conducted, the selection committee will make a recommendation to PHD's Board of Health, which makes the appointment.

Lora Whalen, PHD director since 2019, retired effective June 30. Don Duffy, PHD health services administrator, is interim director.

According to the job description, it pays salary from $114,982 to $122,907, and offers full benefits including retirement, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, 10 paid holidays and paid vacation and sick leave.

Some of the qualifications listed in the job posting are:

• A high level of integrity and strong ethics and values.

• Lead by example and display honest and ethical behavior in all interactions.

• Ability to lead and drive organizational change.

• Ability to objectively coach and mentor leaders and staff at all levels through complex, nuanced, and at times, difficult issues.

• Ability to establish strategic direction aligned with organizational strategies and outcomes.

It also calls for a master's degree in public health, public or business administration, community health, environmental health and at least five years of progressively responsible management and program administration experience in public health serving at a senior management level.