For some people, part of their destiny begins at a young age. For Michael Gliner, the destiny that would connect him to St. John’s Episcopal Hospital/Episcopal Health Services (EHS), began even before he
was born. In February 1934, Michael’s mother was born at the hospital, then known as St. Joseph’s
and was run by the religious order of the Sisters of St. Joseph’s. Fast forward 26 years later to
November 1960 and Michael is born, not just at the same hospital, but in the same room with the
same nun in attendance.
Today, Michael, a lifelong resident of Far Rockaway, continues his association with St. John’s in a variety of ways. Aside from being a long-time vendor for the hospital through his Inwood business, PIP, a marketing, signage and printing company, Michael has been a member of the EHS Advisory Committee for 10 years and is currently the copresident (for the second time). His invitation to join the St. John’s ICARE Foundation’s Advisory Committee seemed like a natural extension of his involvement. The Foundation, established in 2021, benefits and supports the charitable and educational activities of EHS.
Michael’s lengthy and enduring connection to the hospital, as well as to the Rockaways, was a deciding factor when approached about ICARE. “Nancy [Leghart, ICARE’s Executive Director] asked me to come aboard the ICARE committee a couple of months ago because I’ve been in Rockaway my entire life and I know a lot of people. I’m like the unofficial mayor,” he says. Michael’s affiliation with the hospital extends beyond his committee work, incorporating a steady involvement in fundraising events, including the golf tournaments he participates in every year, and the inaugural Blue Phoenix Gala, held in May 2024. He simply says, “I’m local, so when events are happening here, I try to go whenever I can.”
That Michael is very active in his community is inarguable. In addition to being current president (this term making it his fifth time) of the Kiwanis Club, he is President of the Men’s Club at the Bayswater Jewish Center, where he also serves as Vice President in charge of the building and staff. His community involvement extends to Board Chair of the Inwood Civic Association, as well as the Board Chair of the Bayswater Civic Association. Michael’s resume also includes the Rockaway Business Alliance, where he sits on the board and membership in the Rockaway East Merchant’s Association. Though he admits with a laugh, “I’m all over the Peninsula,” it’s evident he’s not kidding.
Prior to working at, and becoming an owner, at PIP, Michael was a math and business teacher at Far Rockaway High School, where he also coached the winning girls track team. Often then, he reliably encounters people he’s known since his teaching and coaching days, sometimes while he’s making the near daily deliveries at St. John’s. Add to this mix many local officials and those he’s met through a community theater group where he serves as president.
It's not difficult to see how deep Michael Gliner’s roots extend throughout the communities of the Rockaways and how his connection to St. John’s has come full circle. It’s also apparent how his enthusiasm for the community and the hospital are among the assets he brings to the ICARE Advisory Committee.
