Margo Goodwin: Stepping down but staying close
Margo Goodwin may be stepping down from her role as chair of the Baylor Health Care System Foundation board, but she’ s not going far. She’ s planning on remaining on the board— though in a less conspicuous way.
She’ s looking forward to supporting her successor, Norm Bagwell, and she’ s ready to give up the spotlight:“ I’ m really looking forward to sitting in the back of the room,” Margo joked. For the last three years, she’ s served as the emcee of every quarterly board meeting.
Margo’ s Baylor connections began long before she joined the Foundation board. Her father was the chair of Neurosurgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Prior to that he practiced neurosurgery at Scott & White in Temple, Texas. Later, her son, Grady, completed his residency at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas and met his future wife, who was one of his attending physicians. Margo’ s daughter and son have given her six grandchildren— four of which were born at Baylor
In 2005, Margo was asked to join the Foundation board. She had just wrapped up her role as chair of the 2004 Crystal Charity Ball. She accepted the invitation to join and jumped right in; in 2006 she chaired the Celebrating Women luncheon which supported Baylor initiatives in the fight against breast cancer.
Margo joined the board around the same time Rowland K. Robinson became president of the Foundation and was excited about the changes he sought— one of which was accelerating fundraising initiatives.
During Margo’ s tenure, the Foundation launched Campaign 2015: Baylor Makes Us All Better, a comprehensive campaign with a goal of raising $ 250 million.
“ It was their first comprehensive campaign in 100 years, and it was a very brave and necessary move,” Margo said.“ The leadership and the board could see that this was the direction we needed to go, and they exceeded their goal. It has had a huge impact on the service that Baylor can provide.”
Though Margo may not remain center stage, she’ ll still have plenty of chances to talk about the amazing care that happens at Baylor. She said it’ s rare to attend a dinner party, or even stand in the checkout line at the grocery store, without bumping into someone who wants to talk with her about Baylor. And because of her experience on the board, she’ s ready for just about any discussion.
“ Very often, topics come up over the dinner table with friends or at a cocktail party, and they’ ll say,‘ Oh, my husband is having trouble recuperating after his heart surgery,’ and we will have just had a meeting on cardiac rehab after heart surgery,” Margo said. She added that this is true of just about any condition, from breast cancer to orthopedics.
Having this sort of knowledge is a testament to the caliber of speakers and topics of quarterly board meetings.“ These are always cuttingedge, educational topics.”
That’ s not by accident.“ Of course, we want and need board member’ s financial support. But, their advocacy in the community is just as important,” Margo said.“ During our board meetings, we want to give them timely information about what Baylor is doing that’ s unique and different, and what kind of quality they can expect should they or one of their loved ones or friends ever need care at Baylor.”
“ You need to stretch and grow and not be afraid to fail.... So I learned to do whatever it took, to research, to know all the facts, to try to gain consensus with fellow volunteers, but not lose the strength of my own convictions.”
— Margo Goodwin
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