UMC CEO Jacob Cintron Receives 14% Pay Raise, Salary Exceeds $1.1 Million
The CEO of University Medical Center of El Paso, Jacob Cintron, will earn $1,128,582 annually following a 14% pay increase approved this week by the hospital’s board of managers. The compensation adjustment, retroactive to January 1, 2025, reflects the board’s assessment of Cintron’s performance and the need to remain competitive in attracting top healthcare leadership.
Rising compensation for Cintron at El Paso’s Public hospital
The University Medical Center (UMC) board voted 6-0 on Tuesday to approve the salary increase,with one member abstaining. In addition to the base salary increase, Cintron will receive a bonus of $346,449, a substantial increase from the previous year’s bonus and tied to performance metrics for the 2026 fiscal year. A request filed by El paso Matters for cintron’s job evaluation and the new performance metrics remained unfulfilled at the time of publication. Cintron himself did not instantly respond to a request for comment.
Board Cites Performance and Market Competitiveness
UMC board Chair Kristina Mena stated the decision was based on a extensive evaluation. “This year, the data show that Mr. Cintron continues to perform at a level that strengthens our entire Hospital District and healthcare system for the region,” Mena wrote in an emailed statement. “The compensation adjustment we approved reflects both his achievements and the need to ensure our organization remains competitive in attracting and retaining top-tier executive talent.”
This latest increase follows a pattern of raises for Cintron, who has led the county hospital district since 2016. He received a 7% raise in 2024 and a 12.8% increase in the prior fiscal year.
Regional CEO Compensation: A Comparative Look
Cintron’s salary places him among the highest-paid public hospital CEOs in Texas. For comparison, Dr. Frederick Cerise,CEO of Dallas county’s Parkland Health,earned approximately $1.02 million in fiscal year 2024. Dr. Karen Duncan, CEO of JRS Health Network in Tarrant County, was offered an annual salary of $950,000 in 2023.
UMC’s Financial Performance and Expansion Plans
UMC,El Paso’s only public,nonprofit hospital,is operating with a 2026 expense budget of $1.9 billion – a $200 million increase over the previous fiscal year. This increase is largely attributed to funding for new and expanded facilities, and also the addition of approximately 140 full-time employees. The hospital district reported $1.8 billion in revenue for the previous year, a 29% increase, alongside a 12% rise in outpatient visits and an 11% increase in surgeries. UMC anticipates receiving $175 million in taxpayer dollars this fiscal year, representing 10% of its projected revenue, with patient service fees contributing $874 million, or 46% of the total.
Recent Developments and Board Composition
The hospital district has recently expanded its services, opening its first urgent care clinic near Horizon City and adding anemia and orthopedic treatment at the Northeast clinic, and neurosurgery at the Eastside clinic. the board also highlighted Cintron’s leadership in securing voter approval for a multimillion-dollar UMC bond in November 2024,which will fund expansions,upgrades,a new burn center,and a future cancer center.
The seven-member UMC board of managers is comprised of unpaid members appointed by the El Paso County Commissioners Court. The board holds monthly public meetings to discuss and approve items such as CEO reports, contracts, and policy changes. The board members are: Kristina Mena (Chair), Anna Perez (Vice Chair), Linda Yee Chew (Secretary), Miguel fernandez, Steve DeGroat, Isidro Torres, and Christina Paz. Paz, recently appointed in late September, abstained from the vote on Cintron’s compensation due to her limited tenure on the board during the evaluation period. Meeting agendas and public comment instructions are available on UMC’s website.
The trend of increasing CEO compensation in nonprofit hospitals, even as wages for healthcare workers remain comparatively stagnant, raises ongoing questions about priorities within the healthcare system.
