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Elevating the Future of Nursing
Nurses hold your hand in tough times. They advocate for you and serve as a critical link in the health care chain. It’s no wonder that 79% of U.S. adults polled feel that medical nurses possess high honesty and ethical standards.* Jack and Judi Johnson couldn’t agree more.
Jack and Judi are trustees of the David R. and Eula Wintermann Foundation, established by Judi’s uncle David Wintermann, who passed away in 1997. Wintermann was the backbone of rice farming in his agricultural community of Eagle Lake, Texas, as well as a champion of the area along with his wife, Eula. The couple’s contributions to Eagle Lake include the establishment of what is now known as the Rice Medical Center and funding scholarships designed to draw high-quality nurses to the rural area.
"NURSING IS A VERY COMPETITIVE BUSINESS, AND WE HAVE TO KEEP UP TO RETAIN OUR NURSES."
That legacy and commitment to nursing education and recognition are carried on by Jack, who now chairs the foundation. Longtime supporters of Houston Methodist West Hospital, Jack and Judi made a gift to establish the Houston Methodist West Nursing Faculty Endowment in 2022 — and significantly bolstered its impact with generous additions to the fund in 2024 — to ensure that nurses with master’s degrees can serve as adjunct faculty at the Andy & Barbara Gessner College of Nursing at the University of Houston and other area nursing programs. Already, two nurses have taken on adjunct faculty positions thanks to the fund.
Unique to Houston Methodist West, the endowment is a four-fold win. Locally, it supports nurses’ professional development and helps retain seasoned staff, which in turn benefits new nurses and — most important — improves patient care. At a macro level, the endowment is one step toward a solution to the national shortage of nurses, especially of nursing leaders and educators.
The strategic value of the Johnsons’ support is not lost on Jack; in fact, it’s very intentional. Spurred by the quality of the staff as well as the growth at Houston Methodist West, Jack resolved to invest. He notes, “Nursing is a very competitive business, and we have to keep up to retain our nurses.”
unique to houston methodist west hospital, the endowment is A four-fold win
The couple’s commitment to nursing education at Houston Methodist West also includes a gift toward the hospital’s impressive new training facility, built primarily with nurses in mind but for use by a range of interdisciplinary medical professionals. Opening in spring 2025, the Wintermann Clinical Education Laboratory features, among other technological innovations, lifelike patient manikins that can be programmed to concurrently manifest various disease symptoms. Centered on collaborative training, the lab enables nurses and other professionals to further develop their skills and knowledge to better tend to patient needs and deliver a superior patient experience.
* Gallup Honesty and Ethics poll