New exec director is named at JRC

Howard W. Ganter will finally get the opportunity today to become Jefferson Rehabilitation Center's executive director.

"It's been a long-term objective of mine to end up in that position," he said. "When I was going back to school in the '90s I would have applied, but I was still working on my MBA."

The executive director post has been vacant since Aug. 17, when former Executive Director Daniel E. Stern abruptly resigned.

Mr. Ganter began his JRC career in 1978 as a recreational therapist. He accepted the director of residential services post in 1993, and has helped the program grow from 12 community residences to 32 residential locations.

Michael C. Capone, JRC's community relations manager, said Mr. Ganter was one of five people considered during the final interview process.

Mr. Ganter said he's ready to fulfill all executive director duties, including helping to figure out state fiscal issues that may trickle down to JRC.

"We're definitely going to be impacted," he said. "The Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities is losing, across the state, $64 million in cuts to provider organizations. We will see some impact, but I'm not really sure how much. But we'll adapt."

Mr. Ganter earned an associate degree in math/science from Jefferson Community College, a bachelor's degree in education in recreation from SUNY Cortland and a master's degree in business administration from SUNY Oswego.

He resides in Glen Park with his wife, Dani, and has two adult sons and one grandson.