Cruz tapped as BSA Health System's new CEO

Michael Cruz has been named the new chief executive officer of BSA Health System. He succeeds former CEO Bob Williams, who retired in March.

Cruz has long had positive memories about the way BSA operates, ever since he was young and his father fell ill.

"I never thought about having a role like this when I was younger. When I was 13, my dad was at BSA, because he was diagnosed with leukemia and was really sick. I remember even that long ago how the staff were so kind and compassionate, not only to my dad, but to my family, and that left a lasting impression on me. That was part of the reason why much later in my career, I decided maybe that's an opportunity for me, because wouldn't it be cool to be around people who care that much about and are compassionate and thorough with the work they do," Cruz said.

Williams had 42 years of service with the health care system, 13 being in the position of CEO. Cruz joined the BSA team in 2003 as the vice president of operations, later advancing to chief operating officer.

"We're going to make sure we create an environment that's supportive, inclusive, and that folks feel a sense of belonging about the place they're receiving care from or working for," Cruz said.

Cruz is an Amarillo native. After graduating from Alamo Catholic High School, he spread his wings, earning his master of business administration from Stanford University and a bachelor of arts degree from Yale University, with majors in ethics, politics and economics and international studies with a concentration in Latin America.

After a while, the Panhandle spirit brought Cruz back to Amarillo. He and his wife Shauna have three kids, Brooklyn, Britlee and Luke.

Cruz said he has no major plans to change things at BSA, but rather wants to build on the strong foundation that has already been established.

"We are so blessed to have such an incredible staff of providers. Whether they're by the bedside or supporting those by the bedside, they do an incredible job. My job as CEO is to ensure that we're supporting and allowing those individuals to do the job they are called to do," Cruz said.

The pandemic has brought new challenges to the healthcare system, putting a strain on the workers. Cruz recalls the volume of individuals who were acutely ill being something that he had never seen.

"The staff did a phenomenal job, learning how to best treat and respond to patients in this environment where we were all learning so much about COVID. We learned how to treat it and how to respond to it, and I couldn't be more proud. A big part of it goes to the resiliency of our staff and leaders and the spirit of the Texas Panhandle. People here figure out how to make things work and stay positive," Cruz said.

During the pandemic, Cruz has seen how supportive the community is. Elementary school kids would send drawings to the hospital to keep spirits high. Local businesses and churches also helped and supported the staff through the tough time.

"The beautiful thing about it is that it showed that human spirit is still alive and strong, and that the Texas Panhandle spirit and the way we do things at BSA is still going strong, and that is an amazing thing to see," Cruz said.

Cruz also serves on the boards of the Amarillo Area Foundation and St. Andrews Episcopal School. These groups help multiple non-profits around the Texas Panhandle. The focus is on providing healthcare, education, and development the Texas Panhandle way.

He also leads BSA's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council, where Cruz emphasizes how important it is to feel supported and included. The big health system environment can be overbearing, but Cruz stresses that an individual should be able to bring all of themselves to BSA, regardless of ethnicity, race, gender identity or ability.

"When a nurse comes to work, they are not just an oncology nurse. They have a family to go home to. Everyone should be treated with dignity and respect. That goes for both our nurses and our patients. We are going to make sure we create an environment that is supportive and inclusive, so people feel a sense of belonging about the place that they are getting care from or the place they are working for," Cruz said.

“We were committed to identifying a leader who shared Bob's (Williams) commitment to excellence and dedication to our mission of providing quality healthcare in Christian love, service and dignity,” said BSA Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Michael Lamanteer, in a news release. “Michael exemplifies that spirit.”

Cruz said he is honored and humbled to be able to continue to lead BSA's strong faith-based legacy in a successful direction, all while keeping the health care BSA provides personal and local.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Cruz tapped as BSA Health System's new CEO