RIFLE – The Grand River Hospital District board of directors hired a headhunter firm to find a new chief executive officer. The board hopes hiring professionals to help in the search will be worthwhile – despite the big expense.The firm Witt/Kieffer/Ford/Hadlemen and Lloyd will cost the hospital district $50,000 to $70,000, which is 30 percent of the new CEO’s salary for the first year, plus any expenses, said board president Bruce Mills. The company guarantees it will find someone and that person will stay with the district for at least one year.Former CEO Pat Howery left in February. The acting chief financial officer, Michael Raymond, is serving as the interim CEO, though he recently withdrew his application for the permanent position. He could not be reached for comment Wednesday.Kris Daler, the director of public relations for the hospital district, said the board had selected a candidate to take the position, but the candidate’s wife had a conflict.”Now we’re starting over,” Daler said.Mills said the board looked at more than 120 resumes.”The people we were interested in were not going to be able to follow through,” Mills said. “We’ve interviewed as many people from that pool as we think will work with our facility.”Mills said it will be four to six months before a new CEO is in place.”A headhunter can market to people who are currently working,” Mills said, “instead of people who are out of work and looking.”Michael Weerts, the director of human resources for the hospital district, said the board chose Witt/Kieffer because the company was highly recommended by the Colorado Hospital Association and other hospitals. Witt/Kieffer is a national firm that specializes in placing health care industry executives.”We know we’re going to spend some money doing it,” Mills said. “But hopefully it will be worth it. It’s really the difference between advertising and recruiting.”Contact Amanda Holt Miller: 625-3245 ext. 103ahmiller@postindependent.com