Becky Fritz, Bet Shalom’s Incoming President
Becky Fritz, Bet Shalom’s incoming president, sat down with me recently for an interview. Becky familiarizes us with her life and family, and she discusses her previous involvement at Bet Shalom and her plans for our congregation’s future. - Eric Bressler
Congratulations on becoming Bet Shalom's new President, Becky! Thanks for all you do for the congregation. Let's help people get to know you a bit better. Please tell us about your family, when you moved to Minnesota, and when you joined Bet Shalom.
My wife, Heidi Aldes and I live in St. Michael, MN with our two teenage boys. Our kids, Kaleb (16) and Jaxon (15) attend STMA High School. Our family lives and enjoys every moment to its fullest, so we are often NOT found at home. We love to travel, experience all that life has to offer and spend our summers at our lake place in Villard, MN. I was born and raised here in MN but also got to live in Florida for several formative years. I graduated from St. Cloud State University with my undergraduate degree in Biomedical Science and completed my MBA many years later while working in the optical industry. Bet Shalom is truly my spiritual home, and both of our children enjoy the rich community they experience through the Religious School.
Tell us about your professional life.
I have been in the optical industry for just shy of 30 years leading optical companies in a variety of facets. Today I serve VSP Ventures as Vice President and oversee 100 practices across the United States. VSP Ventures is in the merger and acquisition space. We purchase independently owned optical shops that have doctors seeking retirement or desiring a change of pace. When they cannot find another doctor that wishes to buy their practice, they turn to us to ensure the practice thrives for years to come. My career has allowed me to move several times throughout the country and I am fortunate to have landed back in MN which is home.
You’ve been involved at Bet Shalom for quite a while; I remember working with you when we co-founded the Wine Club during COVID. Tell us about the roles you’ve played and how they led you to consider being our President.
I enjoy being deeply involved in the community at Bet Shalom and have engaged in the following activities in addition to being a parent of 2 boys in Religious School.
Co-founded the Wine Club with Eric Bressler during COVID.
Serve on Bet Shalom Board as Vice President now but have been on the Board for several years as a Trustee and Secretary.
Taught 7th grade at Bet Shalom’s Religious School and the cooking Chug.
Chaired the Youth Engagement Committee.
These prior leadership activities coupled with my love for the Bet Shalom community and my respect for the clergy are what have inspired me to continue to be involved and support in the role of President.
What are your short-term and long-term goals for your two-year term as President?
As I step into the role of President for our beloved synagogue, I do so humbly and with gratitude for the trust being placed in me. In the short term, I feel my best asset to the community is to prioritize collaboration with our clergy, staff and board members to ensure they have the resources and encouragement they each need to thrive in their roles. A key part of this for me will be carefully listening to acutely understand existing challenges and celebrate ongoing successes. Long term, I hope to contribute ideas and action to ensuring our synagogue is spiritually vibrant, socially connected and inclusive while maintaining and enhancing financial sustainability efforts that will support us all for decades to come.
How do you see the range of roles and responsibilities you had at VSP Ventures applying to your role as President?
As I begin my term, I bring with me nearly 30 years in people leadership-a journey that has taught me first hand the value of listening deeply, building trust, navigating change with compassion, and empowering and developing others to lead. In my professional life, I’ve had the privilege of guiding diverse teams through complex challenges, helping individuals discover their strengths, and fostering a culture rooted in collaboration and respect. Bringing these experiences with me, I am committed to working in partnership with our clergy, board, staff and members of our community to continue the good work already underway, and to imagine together what more we can become.
You have diverse outside interests. How do you spend your spare time?
I am a VERY social creature. I love spending time with family and friends, traveling and experiencing all the world has to offer, and not letting a moment pass as I know first-hand that life can be so very short. I also have a quieter side and appreciate quiet moments alone or with Heidi. To decompress, I am often setting puzzles, reading books, or cleaning and organizing all things. Given our busy social calendar, I enjoy those few quiet moments of solitude when they come my way.
Favorite Jewish Holiday and foods?
My favorite Jewish holidays are Passover and Hanukkah. Passover because I love the cooking, story telling, and family gatherings. Hanukkah is at a beautiful time of year, and I enjoy the multiple days of leaning into Jewish identity and how fun it is for our kids.
My favorite Jewish foods are matzah ball soup, sweet and sour meatballs and eggs and onion.
Final thoughts?
I look forward to continuing to grow relationships with those I already know as well as building new connections over the years.