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HISTORY
In the late 1800’s, New Braunfels was predominately a farming and ranching community. As more industry emerged and the city population increased in the first half of the 20th century, it became apparent to community leaders that a larger, more comprehensive, facility was needed to meet the healthcare needs of citizens, as well as provide an impetus for future economic growth.

After two attempts to establish a county-funded hospital narrowly failed in the late 1940’s, a group of business and civic leaders led by H.C. McKenna of the Mission Valley Textiles Mill set out to privately secure the necessary funds to build a new hospital. Along with such city fathers as Alfred Liebscher, R.B. Vickers, Arlon Krueger, Ben Krueger, Harry Richards, John Langston, and Mrs. R. Wright, McKenna persuaded the City of New Braunfels in 1951 to support health care for its citizens by providing the hospital site. These and other progressive individuals organized a fundraising effort in 1952, often going door-to-door asking local citizens for their support. The generosity of the people of New Braunfels produced more than $500,000 for the initiative, which was augmented by a $280,000 Hill-Burton grant.

In October 1952, a ground breaking ceremony commemorating the beginning of hospital construction was held at the hospital site. October 1953 marked the grand opening celebration for the new 40-bed New Braunfels Hospital. The original structure, which still stands today as the central core of the hospital, opened its doors to patients in November of 1953. In 1973, New Braunfels Hospital changed its name to McKenna Memorial Hospital in honor of H.C. McKenna, who served as president of the Hospital’s board of trustees for more than 20 years.

HEALTH SYSTEM EXPANSION
During the following decades, the hospital experienced tremendous growth to meet the needs of the community. This included several multi-million dollar expansions of facilities and equipment. New services were added in order to meet community needs and expand the organization’s benefit to the community. What began as a small community hospital had now grown into a nationally-recognized regional health system.

The McKenna Health System became a vital part of New Braunfels and Comal County providing significant programs, services and resources that benefit the health and well being of the community to include McKenna HealthLink, McKenna Healthcare Foundation, McKenna Sports, Fitness and Rehabilitation Center, McKenna Children’s Museum, McKenna Village, McKenna Events Center, At Home Medical Equipment and At Home Care in addition to an outstanding hospital facility which remained the system’s flagship.

THE MCKENNA LEGACY
After operating as a highly-successful and independent hospital for more than 50 years, the board once again demonstrated their vision to ensure the hospital’s long-term success by selling the hospital to CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health Care. The board decided the best way to ensure the strongest health care future for the New Braunfels area was to sell McKenna Memorial Hospital at the height of service, quality and financial success to a system with the extensive resources needed to meet long-term growth in a rapidly- growing community. The sale of McKenna Memorial Hospital to CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health Care occurred on January 31, 2008.

Following the hospital sale, two great benefits were realized for this community.

First is the assurance of quality health care for the New Braunfels area by having an outstanding organization like CHRISTUS Santa Rosa -- with the necessary resources to meet the growing health care demands of New Braunfels and Comal County.

The second is the additional funding that will be provided to the McKenna Foundation. This will establish a significant endowment which will generate income the Foundation will use to address health needs in New Braunfels and Comal County. We will have the level of funding necessary to truly approach community health for New Braunfels and Comal County in a very strategic way. These programs will offer an extraordinary benefit that will be almost unique among communities the size of the New Braunfels area.

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE
The McKenna Health System Board of Directors engaged consultants to assist with a strategic planning and reorientation process for the System including the McKenna Foundation. The board requested the expertise of an experienced third party to facilitate a strategic plan in addition to providing consultation regarding governance, leadership, development and operational processes as the organization moves into the future.

The infusion of significant resources from the sale of the hospital into the McKenna Foundation requires a detailed strategic plan and reorientation of the System’s mission, organizational focus and policies.

As a part of this planning process, McKenna Board Members will use information from the Comal Health and Social Services Assessment currently in progress and underwritten by the United Way of Comal County, City of New Braunfels and the Kronkosky and McKenna foundations as key data throughout the process.

The McKenna Board is committed to developing a detailed plan with specific criteria prior to making any funding decisions.

Once the strategic planning process is complete, health-oriented not-for-profit organizations and the community will be invited to an open forum where the philosophy, goals and expectations, potential funding criteria of the Foundation will be shared. The strategic planning process is expected to be complete in 2009.