Hays Medical Center announced Monday in a news release that Dale Montgomery, vice president for support services, will retire effective June 30.

Montgomery began his career at HaysMed in 1966 at Hadley Hospital as a certified nursing aide in the in-patient rehabilitation department working evening and nights as he was still in high school. He later earned certification as a physical therapy technician.

In 1973, he moved to a purchasing agent position in the purchasing department and became department head in 1983.  While in that position, he led the automation and centralization of all procurement for the medical center and eventually became director of materials management.

A year after Hadley Regional Medical Center and Saint Anthony Hospital merged in 1991, Montgomery assumed the director duties for plant services, which included not only purchasing but also maintenance, grounds, environmental services and dietary. In 1993, he joined the administrative team as vice president of support services.

“Dale has been a solid resource for us for many years,” said Dr. John Jeter, president and CEO of HaysMed. “He has overseen all the major building projects at HaysMed. His expertise and contributions in all areas of the hospital will be sorely missed.”

Montgomery will be spending his retirement time with his wife, children and grandchildren and traveling with friends. He also plans to continue working with a foundation he helped start 22 years ago — the Project Perfect World Foundation, which delivers orthopedic and spine surgery to needy children in Third World countries. In addition, he will continue to be active in the community, maintain his ties with the NCK Technical College board and assist with the Health Care Supply Chain of Kansas.