Building A Firm Foundation With
Jay Zrimec
The Man Who Gave Munson Healthcare
a Foundation

Retiring Foundation President Jay Zrimec stands in front of Munson’s new Emergency Room currently under construction.

Stand anywhere on the Munson Medical Center campus, and you are within sight of a project built with the help of community donations. For the past 21 years, the man most responsible for raising those funds has been Jay Zrimec.

Zrimec is retiring as President of the Munson Healthcare Regional Foundation and Vice President for Governmental Affairs and Volunteer Services in January.

He leaves behind very tangible evidence of the work he’s done. Five major fundraising campaigns have marked his career at Munson. The Women’s Center, Alcohol and Drug Treatment Center, Outpatient Surgery Center, Munson Manor Hospitality House, Hospice House, and the new Emergency Room, all exist today because of successful fundraising efforts.

“Jay is responsible for starting, developing, and maintaining the Foundation — it’s really all his doing,” said John Rockwood, retiring Munson Healthcare President and CEO. “He should be very proud of that — his legacy is the Foundation. He has been a great friend, and a key part of the Administration for 21 years.”

Zrimec has been enormously effective in promoting Munson Healthcare because he truly believes in the integrity and quality of the service the system provides.

Apart from members of the clergy, he has probably shaken more hands than anyone else in Traverse City. Zrimec is described as a meticulous, analytical thinker; a man without pretense; a consensus builder.

“Jay is a gentleman, always well prepared and knowledgeable — he always proceeds with great enthusiasm,” said Foundation board member Gene Keilitz. “It has been a pleasure to serve as a volunteer under Jay’s leadership. He will be missed.”

Jay Zrimec: ‘It has Been A Marvelous Journey’

Below: he reflects on his years at Munson.

How gratifying is it to look at the Munson campus today and know you had a hand in so many projects?
All of the growth and change has really been quite thrilling. When I look around at everything that has been accomplished, I have a very strong sense that I was a part of it and contributed a piece to it. However, I’m more personally impressed with the people who actually did the planning and the construction.

You capped a 21-year-career at Munson with a record-setting $10 million capital campaign. Why was that campaign so successful?
The campaign for a new ER was embraced by our CEO, John Rockwood, and then quickly embraced by the Munson Healthcare Board and the Munson Medical Center Board. I felt we had a team – a cohesiveness and a focus unlike anything we’d ever had before. That was very energizing.

The ER project again demonstrates the crucial role of Philanthropy. Were you surprised by the community’s overwhelming support?
I was grateful, but not surprised. The community will determine the level of health care that it wants and gets. In this case, people quickly recognized the need for improved emergency facilities. The level of health care provided in northern Michigan is a decision our communities will continue to make through their philanthropic support.

What other accomplishments have been significant?
When I started in 1984, the concept of marketing and communications was new to Munson. One of the early marketing projects was developing the distinctive Munson logo that we still use today. Customer service also became a focus. One of the first things we did was establish the Physician Referral Service to help people find the physicians they need.

What prompted establishment of the Foundation?
The merger with Traverse City Community Hospital was the key component driving the issue. We needed a centralized fundraising function to reduce duplication of efforts. Through involvement with the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy, I was familiar with how a foundation would allow hospitals within the system to work together and integrate our philanthropic efforts. In 1994, the Grand Traverse Health Care Foundation — established by the Community Hospital — was renamed and redefined as the Munson Healthcare Regional Foundation.

You have been the Foundation’s only President, and you’ll retire shortly after Munson Healthcare CEO John Rockwood retires. Why now?
With a new Munson Healthcare CEO coming on board, this is a good time for a transition of leadership at the Foundation, too. It’s time for the hand-off — we are passing the baton to the next generation of leaders. The Foundation has an outstanding Board of Trustees, and I’m confident that they and our new leaders will continue to move the organization forward. The system and the Foundation are in very capable hands.

You’ve been very involved with legislative issues in your role as Vice President for Governmental Affairs. What do you think is on the horizon for the health care industry?
My view is that there is a crisis in health care funding. There will need to be some kind of enormous change — I don’t know what that will be. Ultimately, there are solutions out there. One of my favorite Winston Churchill quotes is, “You can always count on Americans to do the right thing — after they’ve tried everything else.” I am confident that we will solve the health care challenge.

When you look back over your Munson years, what means the most to you?
The honor to serve, and being so impressed with all of the people I’ve met here and how hard they work. The most meaningful thing has been the relationships I’ve built — it’s been fascinating to watch people grow and succeed. It’s been a thrill for me to be a part of this system that has expanded so much to deliver care throughout the region. It has been a marvelous journey and a privilege to serve Munson Healthcare.