Jerald D. Molnar will be the Tomah VA Medical Center’s 18th director, effective Aug. 31.

Molnar has been serving as the Acting Medical Center Director since June 2007, when Stan Johnson was transferred to the VA in Seattle, Wash. Molnar’s first assignment at Tomah VAMC was in 1993. In that role, he was responsible for the administrative operations of the facility. He also assisted on the Network level, being responsible for the coordination of the Imaging Services, as well as Pathology and Laboratory Management activities for the Network’s seven VA Medical Centers and their Community-Based Outpatient Clinics.

Molnar lists his “personal goals” as customer satisfaction. “The term ‘customer satisfaction’ covers it all,” he said, “because our customers are our patients, employees, volunteers and the public.”

Being familiar with the facility has its advantages and disadvantages, according to Molnar. “There’s an advantage to having someone new come in to a position like that of Director,” he stated. “Fresh eyes are usually good. Being that I’ve been here for several years, I need to be careful to avoid the tendency to maintain status quo. On the other hand, I do not want to make unnecessary changes, particularly in the first weeks of this assignment. I plan to ask key questions, listen to the answers, and see what people think we need to address. I want to know what individuals hope their new director will bring to the facility, as well as what they prefer; so these values are not unnecessarily changed by a new leader.”

“I’ve been with the VA for 30 years,” Molnar stated. “My first job was providing hands-on care as a rehabilitation therapist. That is a tremendous background to have when you work in healthcare administration, as it provides empathy for the needs of patients.”

Molnar has also served as Associate Director for the Iron Mountain and Albuquerque VA Medical Centers. He completed his Associate Director Trainee Program at Albuquerque VA Medical Center in 1992. Prior to this, Molnar held several positions of increasing responsibility at Grand Junction VAMC, Tuscaloosa VAMC, and Waco VAMC.

In 1981, Molnar received his Master of Science in Health Care Management from Southwest Texas State University. He also has a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Education from State University of New York, College at Buffalo.

Molnar is an ex-officio member of the Tomah Chamber of Commerce and serves on the Board of Directors of Tomah Memorial Hospital. He is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives. He completed the Leadership VA Training Program in 1995 and the Health Care Leadership Institute Program in 2004.