Meet Ron Winger, President of the Board of the JCC of Greater Albuquerque

by Michael Wald

Ron Winger is now ten months into a two-year term as president of the Jewish Community Center of Albuquerque, following a long career as a senior health care leader. He has been President/CEO at both profit and nonprofit hospitals/health systems around the country, including St. Vincent Hospital in Santa Fe and the Heart Hospital in Albuquerque.

Michael Wald reached out to interview Ron Winger to hear about his work at the JCC and his thoughts about creating community. The interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity:

Michael: What would you say are the characteristics of the Albuquerque Jewish community that make it different from the other places you have lived?

Ron: It's small. It's intimate. It's a small community, but it’s vibrant. People are very engaging and have diverse opinions.

Michael: How long have you been involved in Jewish leadership? Have you done that every place you have lived?

Ron: No, I wasn't involved, but we participated. We belonged to different congregations. But after retiring I got involved here. It was the right time; to give back to the community, especially the Jewish community. I also deliver Meals on Wheels — I have 14 clients. That's been very rewarding.

Michael: Is running a hospital similar to running the JCC?

Ron: We have a little community of our own at the JCC. At the largest health system I was responsible for I tried to keep 2500 employees happy: from the physicians, the environmental service workers, the dietary workers, the nurses. It’s just its own little world. Here, too, I enjoy serving many different stakeholders. 

Michael: So, in all these places you've lived have you ever faced antisemitism? 

Ron: I grew up in Tucson. There weren’t a lot of Jewish folks in the 50’s and 60’s in Tucson. So, I was quite aware of what being a Jew was like. I got picked on some. There were comments made. But I don't really remember any specific antisemitism.

Michael: When did it become important to you that you live in a larger Jewish community?

Ron: When we first moved to Santa Fe. I was working for St. Vincent Hospital. It was from 1989 to 1999. It was not affiliated with Christus. It’s the oldest hospital in New Mexico. I was President and CEO. While there we were engaged with Temple Beth Shalom. All three of our children celebrated their bar and bat mitzvahs there, and we participated there. My wife was involved in the religious school.

Michael: So, what are the biggest challenges or problems, you think, facing the Jewish community in Albuquerque?

Ron: That's a loaded question. I think it’s a small Jewish community and I think the Jewish organizations need to work closer together. All of the organizations live in their own world, which is understandable, but it would be, I think, better if we were able to come together more often.

And I think about opportunity for those organizations to come together especially as we as Jews face the challenges of the world, the antisemitism that is growing.

As an example, unfortunately, the JCC has had to expand our security team. We had a half-time security person three years ago. We now have seven security officers.. And five of them are armed. They are licensed and trained. 

Michael: So, where do you see Albuquerque in five years as it relates to the Jewish community?

Ron: I hope we've come together. Hopefully in five years all the organizations will be working more closely together, the Jewish community will be growing because Albuquerque will be a more desirable destination, and we will have more young people that are involved in local Jewish activities.

I realize now that my parents were right and how important it was that they saw that we went to temple. I didn't understand that then. I do now.

Michael: What about in ten years?

Ron: We have to be realistic. It's a fluid world. You know, social media has changed so many values in many ways. Some good, some not good.

Michael: So, what's the role of the JCC?

Ron: What's the role? To bring people together, all different kinds of people. You know, over 80% of our membership are non-Jews. We welcome everybody. So, I hope that the JCC will continue to grow, be a center of the Albuquerque community, and be looked to in a leadership role where everyone is welcome. And that good things take place here. That doesn't sound too hard, does it?

A lot of people don't know who we are. A lot of people don't know that the JCC is open to non-Jewish people. So, we have a lot of work to do to spread the word about the JCC. Even though we're 25 years old this year. There's still work to do to get the word out. I think being more involved in the Albuquerque community—we have to do that. We have to do more community events. We have to be seen in the community, we need to have events here, and we need to participate. And that's the challenge.

The culture here at the JCC is special. We have many employees who have been working here since the JCC opened. And they love it here. And they could make more money elsewhere. We struggle financially, like every other JCC. But it's a special place; the people are phenomenal. It’s not the bricks and mortar.

Michael: Who are you influenced or inspired by? Particularly other Jewish leaders.

Ron: That's a hard question today. There’s Rabbi Cosgrove of Park Avenue Synagogue in New York; I got to meet him and hear him speak at a conference of JCC leaders in Chicago. And of course, Rabbi Celia Surget of Congregation Albert. 

Michael: How do we we develop future Jewish leaders?

Ron:  Now in my 70’s I realize how important involvement in the Jewish community is. When I was 40, I did not. I do now, both in time and the ability to donate. Young people shouldn’t wait until retirement to get involved in the community — while they may have families and children, there are still opportunities for them to contribute and be heard. They have different views that need to be heard and assimilated into the community. #

Michael Wald is a lawyer, Jewish Community Foundation of New Mexico board member, New Mexico Jewish Journal editorial committee member, and author of “Why Didn’t You Call: A Peace Corps Exposé,” a humorous memoir of an "over-50" Peace Corps volunteer serving in the third world part of Panama.