The board of directors at St. Ignatius Retreat Center is seeking a new executive director following the announcement that its current director, Bob Fitzgerald, will retire.

During his tenure, Fitzgerald was responsible for a period of unprecedented growth for the retreat center, which is located on Riverside Drive in north Atlanta. In addition to the construction of a new dining room, a library renovation and the addition of a hilltop prayer tower area, Fitzgerald oversaw capital campaigns that helped generate nearly $2 million for Ignatius House.

Retreat growth was also tremendous under Fitzgerald’s direction, with annual gains in the number of participants for weekend retreats for the past several years. Several retreat weekends have been at capacity. Ignatius House currently accommodates up to 50 people at the retreats held mostly on weekends throughout the year.

“There is simply no way to describe the phenomenal contributions Bob Fitzgerald has made to Ignatius House,” said Dave Fitzgerald, chairman of the Ignatius House board of directors. “His passion for our mission and God-inspired commitment to our cause has been inspiring to all of us.”

A longtime executive at BellSouth, Bob Fitzgerald has been with Ignatius House for 13 years, nearly eight of them as executive director. He plans to continue his involvement there, providing spiritual direction and leading retreats.

Dave Fitzgerald said applications are now being accepted for the executive director position. Responsibilities include managing the Jesuit Retreat Center while implementing its mission, vision and values. Additional information on the job description is available in the News section of the center’s web site, http://ignatiushouse.org.

Founded more than 40 years ago through the gift of Atlantan Suzanne Spalding Schroder, Ignatius House offers silent retreats for three days or longer for men and women of all faiths. Led by a retreat director, silence and solitude are the cornerstones of the retreats and allow for restful, spiritual reflection.

Located at 6700 Riverside Drive in Atlanta on the banks of the Chattahoochee River, the retreat house offers private rooms and baths. A $150 donation, which partially covers the cost of retreats, is requested but not required. Many participants give more than is requested to cover any shortfall.

During retreats, a director makes a series of brief presentations based on Scripture and using the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius.