In 1991, the cost of gas was $1.14 per gallon and the Soviet Union fell. It was also the year Linda Muller took over as president and CEO of Cornerstone Family Healthcare, and what she thought was going to be a five-year stop in her career has spanned 31 years.

On July 7, Muller announced her retirement from the position, with Cornerstone’s current Chief of Operations, David Jolly, set to take over the role.

“I have some days that I’ll be OK, and some days that I don’t know what life will be like without it,” said Muller.

She says family is the only thing higher in importance in her life above the job.

When Muller took the role in 1991, Cornerstone Family Healthcare was in one location. Since then, the footprint of the healthcare organization has grown to more than 20 locations and 700 employees throughout the Hudson Valley.

After announcing her retirement for January 2023, the response was overwhelming from both her colleagues and community. A 2020 study done by McKinsey and Company shares that only 20% of C-Suite members are women, meaning Muller is one of few.

Sybil Medina, the executive vice president of operations at Cornerstone, says working with Muller has been a match made in heaven.

“She’s my mentor. When I have a problem, I come to her, and most of the time she asks me questions because she knows she can get the answer out of me,” said Medina.

The two met at a conference in 2004 and later reconnected at Cornerstone.

“We just had synergy, in terms of life experiences, working in community health, and just caring about the patient. That’s what it is, caring about the patient,” said Medina.

“It’s probably one of the most humbling moments. For people to recognize you for the work that you love …” an emotional Muller trails off while reflecting.

She went on to explain how leading Cornerstone has never felt like a day of work, but more her passion and identity, and one that her family was happy to celebrate.

“For people to thank you for doing what you love doing? It’s just mind-blowing,” said Muller.

She loved it so much, it became a lifestyle for her, one that her family celebrated. When she first took the position, her husband gave her a license plate that reads “LMSCEO.”

“Now he keeps saying he has to get me a new one because I won’t be CEO anymore … I don’t know, we’ll see,” said Muller.

When asked about her proudest accomplishment over the 31-year tenure, Muller says building the 147 Lake Street location in Newburgh is just that.

“This building became the foundation for everything we have built so far,” said Muller.

A previous office looked out at a then-abandoned property every day out her window. She knew it was the perfect location for more resources in the area. Doubt in her ability from counterparts in the industry led her to take the challenge head on, and convert the property into a community resource. Cornerstone saw results immediately.

“When the building was being finished, I was standing right on the walkway and a gentleman walked up and said ‘wow, that is a really beautiful building,’ and I said ‘thank you!’ ” said Muller.

She continued the conversation with the man, a Cornerstone patient himself.

“I said ‘this will be your new home,’ and he said ‘oh no, I can’t go in there … it’s much too nice.’ ”

“I needed to take a step back and remind myself that that is exactly why we built this building. This building is exactly what this community needed, to be treated with that level of respect and dignity. They can come and feel like they’re valued,” said Muller.

Muller has also led the organization through two name changes.

“When we went through our last iteration, our last name change, we went from the Greater Hudson Valley Family Hea.th Care Center to Cornerstone Family Healthcare,” said Muller. It was a strategic change.

“The concept of a cornerstone is, if you build a building really well with that first block, it’ll last centuries.”

Little did she realize it would be the perfect metaphor for what she means to her colleagues at Cornerstone.

“People understand that it’s never been about me, it’s been about ‘it’,” said Muller. “I am humbled, for a moment of my life, to have seen it all work and be a part of it.”