LCS promotes Jason Victor, Ross Kelderman

Jason Victor has been promoted to the position of senior vice president / treasurer and corporate finance at Des Moines, IA-based Life Care Services, an LCS company, and Ross Kelderman has been promoted to the position of controller of LCS.

In addition to his current responsibilities, Victor now will lead LCS risk management, including the LCS Advantage insurance program and Hexagon, a captive insurance company.

Having joined LCS in 2007 as controller, Victor was promoted to vice president / controller in 2013 and senior vice president / controller in 2019. He provides leadership to the corporate accounting, corporate payroll and community payroll functions as well as the treasury and tax departments. He also guides audits, internal controls, technical accounting and tax and financial management systems.  

Hexagon was founded in 1999 to support the LCS Advantage insurance program, which markets insurance products to LCS-managed communities, including workers’ compensation, auto, crime, property and boiler, and liability. Victor has served on the Hexagon board of directors since 2017.

Victor holds an undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of Northern Iowa. He is a certified public accountant with an active license in the state of Iowa. 

Kelderman, in his new role as controller, will oversee and provide leadership to LCS’ corporate accounting, financial reporting, audits and finance technology. He joined the company in 2015 as director, accounting and financial reporting, and was promoted to senior director of accounting and reporting in 2020.

Kelderman holds both an undergraduate degree and a master’s degree in accounting from Iowa State University. He also is a certified public accountant with an active license in the state of Iowa.

Erickson promotes Jennifer Tam, MD, to VP and regional medical director

Jennifer Tam, MD, has been named vice president and regional medical director of the Erickson Health Medical Group.

She will oversee the medical centers at Erickson Senior Living-managed communities in Colorado (Wind Crest), Kansas (Tallgrass Creek), Maryland (Riderwood) and Massachusetts (Brooksby Village and Linden Ponds) while also providing strategic direction for EHMG’s health and well-being initiatives.

Tam joined the medical team of Linden Ponds continuing care retirement community in 2005 after completing a fellowship in geriatrics at Harvard Medical School and serving patients as a primary care provider at the Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly in Boston. In 2015, she was promoted to the leadership position of medical director at Linden Ponds, and in 2021, she began supporting the medical centers of Brooksby Village and Riderwood.

Tam earned her undergraduate and medical degrees at the University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines, and completed a residency in internal medicine at Montefiore Health System in New York before her fellowship.

Anthem Memory Care promotes Michael Zywicki to VP of programs and engagement

Michael Zywicki has been promoted to the position of vice president of programs and engagement at Oregon-based Anthem Memory Care. He will oversee Anthem Memory Care’s culture.

Previously, Zywicki was operations specialist for Anthem Memory Care. He also served as area director of operations at Cedarhurst Senior Living of Michigan.

Zywicki brings more than 18 years of operations experience to this position. He holds an undergraduate degree in healthcare administration from Alma College in Alma, MI.

Selectis Health names Jim Creamer interim CFO, adds Clifford Neuman to board

Jim Creamer has been named interim chief financial officer, and Clifford Neuman has been added to the board of directors at Greenwood Village, CO-based Selectis Health, which owns or operates independent living, assisted living, memory care and continuing care retirement communities, as well as skilled nursing facilities and other offerings, in Arkansas, Georgia, Ohio and Oklahoma.

Creamer brings almost 20 years of experience in public company leadership roles to the role. He also is the principal of Corporate Solutions Advisors, which offers outsourced, fractional CFO services to small, growth-oriented companies across several industries. His career also includes service as the CFO and a director of both Virtual Interactive Technologies Corp., a publicly traded video game development company, and WestMountain Gold, a publicly traded mining company.

Before his role at WestMountain Gold, Creamer was the CFO of NexCore Healthcare Capital Corp. following the company’s acquisition of CapTerra Financial Group, where he previously was CFO and later CEO. Creamer holds an undergraduate degree in finance from Arizona State University.

Neuman will serve on the Selectis Health board’s audit, nomination and governance, and compensation committees. For more than 50 years, he has been engaged as a principal in his own law firms, with an emphasis on corporate and securities law in the representation of companies across matters of corporate finance, mergers, acquisitions, reorganizations, and public and private offerings.

Neuman previously served on the Selectis Health board from 2014 to 2022, and he continues to serve as the company’s primary legal counsel. He earned his law degree from the University of Pennsylvania and his undergraduate degree, summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from Trinity College, Hartford, CT.

Kendal at Oberlin CEO Barbara Thonas to retire

Barbara Thomas, CEO of Kendal at Oberlin, Oberlin, OH, will retire in February after 32 years of leading the organization. She began her career with the Kendal affiliate in 1992, one year before the nonprofit continuing care retirement community opened to residents.

Thomas’ career in aging services will span 50 years as of 2024. It began just after college, when she accepted a position working in activities programming at Judson Senior Living in Cleveland. She worked her way up at Judson, obtaining her license in nursing home administration. She worked there until she accepted the opportunity to grow as the administrator of Kendal at Oberlin.

Thomas has been a CARF accreditation peer surveyor for 33 years. She also has served on the boards of LeadingAge, Leading Age Ohio and Friends Services for Aging, among other service. In August, LeadingAge Ohio recognized her with an award for visionary leadership.

Esteam Health names Lane Davy as first president

Lane Davy has been named the first president of Albuquerque, NM-based Esteam Health, a new company aiming to support the development of evidence-based arts and health programs for retirement communities.

Davy will support the company’s strategic initiatives by building and leading the core team across key functions for launch. He brings with him decades of executive experience, having led enterprises and teams in manufacturing, sales, marketing and administration.

Davy joins Esteam Health after it recently completed its first pilot of a new training program, the Art of High-Performance Caregiving, in partnership with Creating Futures that Work.

Send your personnel news to Lois Bowers at lois.bowers@mcknights.com. High-quality color headshots are welcomed but not required.

Kendal chooses Vassar Byrd as next CEO

Vassar Byrd has been selected by The Kendal Corp. Board of Directors to be the organization’s next chief executive officer. She will join the Newark, DE-based company Jan. 9.

Byrd formerly was the CEO of Rose Villa Senior Living, a nonprofit life plan community in Portland, OR, since 2006. In July, Rose Villa announced that she would be leaving the organization at an unspecified time “to explore new growth and development opportunities” after having led the process of developing a 10-year master plan and campus redevelopment plan for Rose Villa.

Bryd, a 2020 McKnight’s Women of Distinction Hall of Honor inductee and McKnight’s Senior Living contributor, also recently was president of the LeadingAge Oregon Board of Directors.

The CEO position became open with the departure of Sean Kelly, who had headed the organization since 2006 and left about a year ago to become CEO of Front Porch Communities. Amy Harrison, who has served as interim CEO of Kendal since the beginning of the year, will resume her former role as chief financial officer upon Byrd’s start with Kendal.

The not-for-profit Kendal has 11 operating affiliates across nine states: California, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Covenant Living CEO Terri Cunliffe announces retirement

Terri Cunliffe has announced that she will retire as president and CEO of Skokie, IL-based Covenant Living Communities and Services in the spring.

Cunliffe, a 2021 McKnight’s Women of Distinction Hall of Honor inductee, has been with the nonprofit Covenant Living for 34 years. Cunliffe started her career in 1987 as an administrator in training at Covenant Living of Golden Valley in the Minneapolis metropolitan area. While working to obtain her healthcare administrator license, she was asked to move to Florida to help open a new assisted living community at Covenant Living of Florida. She eventually became the healthcare administrator of both assisted living and skilled nursing at the Florida community. In 1996, Cunliffe was promoted to executive director at the senior living community.

Cunliffe subsequently held positions as vice president of health and wellness, and executive vice president of operations/chief operating officer. She became president and CEO in 2015.

Today, the company serves 5,700 residents at 19 retirement communities in 10 states and offers independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing and rehabilitation. Covenant Living has hired a search firm and identified a search committee from the board of directors to seek candidates and ultimately select a successor.

­Erickson Senior Living names Cheryl Jones regional VP of HR

Cheryl Jones has been named the new regional vice president of human resources at Erickson Senior Living. 

For the past 15 years, Jones held senior leadership roles in human resources at CRISP Shared Services in Columbia, MD, and most recently, as vice president of employee experience and operations at CommunicateHealth in Rockville, MD.

She holds an undergraduate degree in psychology from Spelman College and dual master’s degrees in health administration and business administration from the University of Florida.

White Horse Village names Michael Shaw president and CEO

Michael Shaw has been named the president and CEO of White Horse Village, a nonprofit senior living community in Newtown Square, PA. The appointment was effective Dec. 1. 

Shaw has worked in senior living management for 25 years and has held leadership roles in senior living in multiple locations, managing nonprofit life plan communities within the large networks of Erickson, Westminster Communities of Florida and Pinnacle Living communities in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Texas, Kansas and Florida.

He has certifications in Lean Six Sigma, Action Pact Choreography of Culture Change, the Eden Alternative and as a Pennsylvania personal care home administrator. Additionally, he is a licensed nursing home administrator in Virginia and Florida.  

Anthem Memory Care names Iva Prinsen executive director at Chelsea Place

Iva Prinsen has been named executive director at Chelsea Place, an Anthem Memory Care community in Aurora, CO. 

Prinsen previously was executive director for Springbrooke Senior Living in Denver. She also was the licensed nursing home administrator for Azria Health in Blue Hill, NE.

Prinsen brings more than 35 years of senior living experience to the position. She earned her undergraduate degree from Stevens-Henager College.

The Springs Living names Elizabeth Sourbeer director of sales 

Elizabeth Sourbeer has been named director of sales at The Springs Living. 

Sourbeer brings 30 years of real estate sales experience to her new role. Most recently, she spent six years in sales and marketing for Trilogy by Shea Homes. She has an undergraduate degree in marketing from the University of Washington, Bothell.

Charter Senior Living of Charlotte names Carson Smith lifestyles director

Carson Smith has been named lifestyles director at Charter Senior Living of Charlotte.

Smith joins the Charter Senior Living team after serving as a teacher at Wolf Meadow Elementary in Concord, NC. She graduated from North Carolina State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education.

JLL names Anthony Marten principal, healthcare division sales lead

Anthony Marten has been named a principal and healthcare division sales lead for JLL’s solutions development team. 

Marten’s career spans 25 years and two continents. He began his commercial real estate career with JLL in 1998 and served in various roles until 2007, gaining experience in sectors including healthcare, life sciences, financial services and manufacturing. He re-joins JLL from Cushman & Wakefield, where he formerly was an executive vice president with its Enterprise Solutions team.

Marten retired as captain in the Honourable Artillery Co., Territorial Army, London. He graduated from the London South Bank University with a Bachelor of Science degree, has a professional accreditation as chartered surveyor from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in London and has two CoreNet Global Master of Corporate Real Estate designations with a Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt from Global CoreNet.

Morning Pointe recognizes Exceeding Expectations award winners

Dec. 6, Morning Pointe Senior Living recognized eight Exceeding Expectations Award winners during its annual holiday awards banquet, honoring dedication to residents and fellow employees. 

This year, Morning Pointe expanded the Exceeding Expectations Awards from four region-based categories to eight role-based categories. The goal was to provide a greater level of recognition for those who go beyond their job descriptions.

The winners:

• Home Office: Josh Rhodes, director of IT.
• Resident Care: Loretta Cameron, certified nursing assistant at Morning Pointe of Richmond, KY.
• Nursing: Kahlalishia Williams, director of nursing at Morning Pointe of Tuscaloosa, AL.
• Life Enrichment and Alzheimer’s Programming: Beverly Smith, life enrichment director at Morning Pointe of Powell, TN.
• Sales and Marketing: Megan Dunaway, community relations director at Morning Pointe of Hardin Valley, TN.
• Business Office: James Ford, business office director at Morning Pointe of Lenoir City, TN. 
• Food Service: Cindy Morris, food service director at Morning Pointe of Russell, KY.
• Maintenance and Housekeeping: John Hempel, maintenance director at Morning Pointe of Collegedale at Greenbriar Cove, TN.

Send your personnel news to Lois Bowers at lois.bowers@mcknights.com. High-quality color headshots are welcome but not required.

Mather names Mary Schoeggl CFO

Mary Schoeggl has been named chief financial officer of Mather, Chicago. 

Schoeggl joins Mather with more than 30 years of experience from her time with senior living provider Pacific Retirement Services, where she served in various roles, including vice president of finance, vice president of development, vice president of operations and chief financial officer.

Sunrise Senior Living names Marco Trecroce CTO

Marco Trecroce has been named the chief technology officer at McLean, VA-based Sunrise Senior Living. 

Trecroce has more than 25 years of global executive leadership experience. Most recently he served as global chief information officer at The Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts. 

Priority Life Care names three to leadership roles

Priority Life Care has appointed Dave Kloster executive vice president of operations and promoted both Matt Lanzi and Johanna Ruble to regional vice president of operations roles. 

Heritage Communities adds Lacy Jungman as VP

Lacy Jungman has been named vice president of growth and business development at Heritage Communities. 

Jungman has 17 years of experience in senior living, a majority of that time with Heritage Communities. She specializes in crafting strategies in sales, marketing and customer experience.

Ahepa names Rory Neubrander VP of development

Rory Neubrander has been named vice president of development at Ahepa Senior Living. 

Neubrander has more than 20 years of experience in affordable housing development. He started his affordable housing career with the Miller-Valentine Group, where he held multiple positions during his 13-year tenure, including financial analyst, developer roles and a managerial position.

Retirement Unlimited Inc. promotes Tony Johnson to VP of HR

Tony Johnson has been promoted to vice president of human resources at Retirement Unlimited Inc. 

Johnson has been with RUI since August 2022 in the role of regional director of HR. He was promoted to corporate director of talent acquisition in November.

Consonus Pharmacy promotes Jessica Androff to president

Jessica Androff has been named president of Consonus Pharmacy. 

Androff most recently was the senior vice president of operations for the west region at Consonus. In her new role, she will oversee a network of 10 pharmacy locations across eight states. She has more than 18 years of experience in the long-term care pharmacy industry.

Androff holds a doctor of pharmacy degree from the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy and undergraduate degrees in biology and biochemistry.

Lathrop Community names Patrick Arguin CEO 

Patrick Arguin has been named chief executive officer for Lathrop Community, a Kendal Corp. affiliate in Easthampton MA. 

Arguin brings almost 20 years of professional experience, starting his career as a physical therapist and then for many years working as a nursing home administrator. His most recent position was administrator for Mary’s Meadow at Providence Place.

Arguin has an undergraduate degree in physical therapy and an MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Anthem promotes Trisha Thomas, Nick Katinos to regional director of operations

Trisha Thomas and Nick Katinos have promoted to regional directors of operations at Anthem Memory Care. 

She brings more than 20 years of senior living experience to her role, having formerly been executive director of Anthem Memory Care’s Chelsea Place in Aurora, CO, and executive director at Brookdale Westland Meridian in Lakewood, CO.

Katinos brings more than eight years of senior living experience and more than 20 years in hospitality management to his new role. He most recently was executive director for Anthem’s Grace Point Place in Oak Lawn, IL. Prior to that, he was executive director of multiple communities in Illinois, including Sunrise Senior Living Naperville North, Brighton Gardens of Wheaton and Brighton Gardens of St. Charles.

LCB adds 3 to leadership positions

Lea Goddard has been hired as executive director of The Residence at Penniman Hill, Arzu LeBlanc has been named executive director at The Residence ar Bedford, Bedford, MA; ad Maureen Cunningham has been named sales and marketing director at The Residence at Ferry Park, LCB Senior Living announced. 

Goddard has more than 20 years of experience in senior living.  She also is EssentiAlz certified by the Alzheimer’s Association. Previously, she was the executive director for a Sunrise Senior Living community in Cohasset, MA.

Goddard holds an undergraduate degree in environmental management from Binghamton University and a Master of Science degree in elementary and early childhood education from Long Island University.

Cunningham has worked in the senior living industry for 15 years. Previously, she was a lifestyle adviser for the sales and marketing team at Evergreen Woods in North Branford, CT. 

Cunningham has an undergraduate degree in social work from Southern Connecticut State University.

LeBlanc has almost a decade’s worth of experience in the senior living industry, having previously served as an executive director for Epoch Senior Living and Benchmark Senior Living, where she was named the company’s Executive Director of the Year in 2017. Prior to entering the senior living industry, she worked for more than 10 years in the hospitality industry.

Tidepointe names Michael Friedel executive director

Michael Friedel has been named executive director of Tidepointe, a Vi Living community. 

Most recently, Friedel was the associate executive director for Erickson Senior Living-managed  Eagle’s Trace Retirement in Houston, where he was the director of continuing care. He previously held leadership roles in an Erickson-managed community in Parkville, MD, and at two Sunrise Senior Living-branded communities in the mid-Atlantic. Friedel began his career with Marriott Hotels and Resorts in Philadelphia as executive chef and food and beverage director.

Moravian Manor Communities promotes Cynthia Meier to executive director

Cynthia Meier has been promoted to executive director at Moravian Manor Communities, Lititz, PA. She formerly was vice president of finance.

Meier joined the organization in 1997 as a staff accountant.

Moravian Manor Communities operates two continuing care retirement communities in Lititz, PA. The organization and MorningStar Living are looking to combine their resources under one umbrella in response to funding cuts and other challenges, the companies announced in November. Morningstar operates two CCRCs in the Nazareth, PA, area. The communities already are sister organizations.

Ashby Ponds names Branden Williams associate executive director

Branden Williams has been named associate executive director of Ashby Ponds, an Erickson Senior Living-managed  community. 

Williams joined Erickson in 2021 as the director of dining at Highland Springs in Dallas. He has an undergraduate degree in culinary arts and food service management and a master’s degree in hospitality management from Johnson & Wales University.

Buckingham names Cory Thompson healthcare administrator

Cory Thompson has been named healthcare administrator at The Buckingham. 

Thompson began his career as a healthcare administrator in 2011, leading a small skilled nursing facility in Belville, TX. Since then, he has led multiple SNFs for both for-profit and nonprofit organizations, such HMG Healthcare and Buckner Retirement Services.

Thompson earned his MBA from the University of Houston and his undergraduate degree in business administration from DeVry University. He holds a long-term care administration certification and also is a certified assisted living manager.

Broadview at Purchase names Brittaney Jones-Alleyne health services director

Brittaney Jones-Alleyne was named health services director at Broadview at Purchase. 

Jones-Alleyne has 13 years of experience working in senior living. Prior to coming to Broadview, she worked at The Osborn Senior Living, most recently as its resident relations manager for assisted living and memory care. 

Jones-Alleyne has a bachelor of science degree in healthcare administration from Monroe College and a master of business administration with a focus in healthcare administration from Cappella University. She is also an alum of the Leading Age Larry Minnix Leadership Academy.

Charter Senior Living of Charlotte names April Hampton memory care director

April Hampton has been named memory care director of Charter Senior Living of Charlotte.

Hampton has worked in healthcare for more than 20 years, with experience in long-term care, dementia care, community health, psychiatric nursing, home care and staff education. 

Cura Hospitality names John Cramutola corporate culinary director, Jason Clark corporate executive chef

John Cramutola was named corporate culinary director and Jason Clark was promoted to corporate executive chef at Cura Hospitality.

Cramutola has worked within the healthcare industry for over 11 years and the culinary industry for 14 years. Clark joined Cura in 2019 as an executive chef/director of dining service managing upscale senior dining restaurants, banquets, and catering events.

TRSA Board adds two new directors

Theresa Garcia of Division Laundry and Josh Wildman of Wildman Uniform & Linen were named first-term directors when TRSA, the association for linen, uniform and facility services, hosted an election and swearing in during the business meeting at its 110th annual conference in Naples, FL.

Both new directors serve on the TRSA Strategic Planning Committee.

Send your personnel news to Lois Bowers at lois.bowers@mcknights.com. High-quality color headshots are welcome but not required.

RUI names Ron Bowen VP of Inspiritás engagement

Ron Bowen has been named vice president of Inspiritás engagement by Roanoke, VA-based Retirement Unlimited Inc. He will oversee programming for all Inspiritás memory care neighborhoods and communities.

Bowen joins RUI with a 30-year career focused on dementia care, including 22 years in leadership roles in assisted living. His previous titles include divisional director for memory care, executive director and dementia coordinator.

Bowen received his undergraduate degree in mass communications and public relations from Wayland Baptist University and his master’s degree in gerontology and human development from the University of Saint Joseph.

Silver Birch announces Dave Mazurek as VP, Colleen Wille as AVP

Dave Mazurek has been named vice president for investments and growth strategy, and Colleen Wille has been named assistant vice president for sales and operations, at Chicago-based Silver Birch Living. 

Mazurek’s almost 20-year real estate and senior housing career includes development, investment and operational experience. Additionally, he currently is vice chairman of the Urban Land Institute Senior Housing Council and previously was an Advisory Committee member of the American Seniors Housing Association.

Wille comes to her new role with more than 28 years of experience in sales and operations management within the assisted living industry.

The company has nine assisted living communities in Indiana.

Kendal on Hudson makes it official: Jean Eccleston is new CEO

Jean Eccleston has been named CEO of Kendal on Hudson. She had been the interim CEO and chief financial officer for the Kendal-affiliated continuing care retirement / life plan community in Sleepy Hollow, NY.

As CFO, Eccleston was responsible for all finance and accounting matters for the CCRC and the Kendal on Hudson Charitable Fund and oversaw the accounting for the Kendal on Hudson Resident Association. In addition to her finance responsibilities, she oversaw the area of information technology.

Sagewood names Sandi Grove, Desiree Cogley directors

Sandi Grove has been named director of plant operations, and Desiree Cogley has been named director of human resources, at Phoenix-based Sagewood Senior Living. 

Grove has more than 20 years of experience in maintenance and engineering. He spent the past four years managing operations at various senior living communities and luxury resorts. Prior to that, he served in the US Navy, first as a heavy construction engineer, then as a special warfare fast boat team member.

Grove holds a degree in emergency management from Grand Canyon University.

Cogley has 23 years of experience in human resources and healthcare. She is new to senior living but previously worked in human resource roles for a community health center in Phoenix.

Cogley earned her undergraduate degree in psychology from Southern Illinois University and went on to earn a master’s degree in organizational management from the University of Phoenix. She also has various certifications, including HRCI senior professional in HR, SHRM senior certified professional, MTI certified workplace mediator, Lean Six Sigma green belt and Lean Six Sigma champion.

NIC announces new members to Future Leaders Council

The National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care recently named the members for its incoming class of its Future Leaders Council, chosen for their demonstrated leadership, vision and commitment to volunteering. 

The new members: 

• Joshua Bagley, executive director, Goodwin Living
• Zachary Britton, director, MidCap Financial 
• Shashank Goel, assistant vice president, Harrison Street
• Morgan Graphman, analytics manager, Ascent Living Communities
• Sean Hladky, vice president, finance, Cantex Community Care Network
• Janice Loper, senior account executive, Hamilton Insurance
• Katelyn Meyer, senior vice president, operations, ReNew REIT
• Joelle Poe, CEO and president, Centered Care
• Brittany Spicer, assistant vice president, business development, National Health Investors
• Anthony Wilson, assistant division vice president, Trilogy Health Services

Members of the FLC class of 2026 will begin their three-year terms this month and will have the opportunity to participate in initiatives and NIC committees focused on delivering on NIC’s mission.

Eden Alternative appoints Michelle Daniel president and CEO

Michelle Daniel has been named president and CEO of The Eden Alternative.

Daniel has worked in the field of long-term care since 1995 and has experience in assisted living, nursing homes and intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities in Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas.

She most recently was a vice president for Methodist Senior Services, having began her career there in October 2015 as vice president of philanthropy and strategic implementation.

Daniel has a master’s degree in health administration from the University of Memphis.

JLL names Amy Nunziata EVP of healthcare work dynamics division

Amy Nunziata has been named executive vice president of healthcare work dynamics division at JLL. 

Nunziata’s career spans more than 25 years, during which time she has provided leadership, management, direction and oversight of healthcare, research and academic facilities. Her experience includes engineering, design and construction, security, safety and operations. Most recently, she was vice president of facilities operations and engineering at New York-Presbyterian.

Red Oak welcomes Dylan Beaulieu, Chau Le

Dylan Beaulieu has been named manager of investor operations, and Chau Le has been named senior accounting associate at Charlotte, NC-based Red Oak Capital Holdings. 

Before joining Red Oak, Beaulieu was enlisted in the US Marine Corps, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, where he held positions of escalating responsibility. He holds an undergraduate degree in neuroscience from Ohio State University as well as an MBA from National University in San Diego.

Chau comes to Red Oak from Thermo Fisher Scientific, where she spent two years as a financial analyst. She also has worked in the accounts payable divisions of ESP Associates and Walmart in the respective roles of coordinator and specialist. She earned her undergraduate degree in business administration from the University of North Carolina, followed by a master’s degree in finance from Johnson and Wales University.

Green Oak Consulting Group announces Patricia Norum as legal counsel

Patricia Norum has been named legal counsel at Green Oak Consulting Group. She will develop the company’s affordable housing program for its retirement community clients.

Norum has worked in the real estate and finance industries for more than 35 years and is a former vice president for a low income housing tax credit syndicator. In 2019, she was admitted as a fellow in the American College of Mortgage Attorneys.

RLPS Architects names Max Winters senior designer

Max Winters has been named senior designer at RLPS Architects to serve senior living and other clients. 

Winters’ expertise has been featured in the New York Times and at national speaking appearances, including the LeadingAge Leadership Summit and the Argentum Executive Roundtable.

Winters received his master’s degree in architecture from the University of Cincinnati in 2015.

Send your personnel news to Lois Bowers at lois.bowers@mcknights.com. High-quality color headshots are welcome but not required.

Avail adds Cody Harvey as partner, owner-operator

M. Cody Harvey, MBA, BSN, RN, has joined Cleveland, TN-based Avail Senior Living as partner and owner-operator.

He will partner with founders Chris Beckstrand and Rob Cuthbertson. Together, they have more than 30 years of collective experience in operating senior living communities.

Harvey’s experience in long-term care began during his high school years as a certified nursing assistant. This experience led him to earn a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing degree from The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2015, where he later received the Outstanding Alumni Award from the School of Nursing in 2019. Harvey also holds a MBA, with a focus on healthcare, from Southern Adventist University.

Before joining Avail, Harvey was the executive director at Morning Pointe of Chattanooga.

Calson Management welcomes new COO and VP of sales

Sadek Nassar has joined Calson Management as chief operating officer, and Susan Bowser has joined as vice president of sales.

Nassar will be responsible for leadership, strategic planning and operations guidance for the company’s portfolio of communities. He brings more than 10 years of senior living leadership experience and an additional 11 years in multifamily housing and hospitality to the role. Nassar holds an undergraduate degree in business administration and finance from California State University.

Bowser will lead the sales teams and oversee all of the organization’s sales initiatives. She brings more than 20 years of senior living sales and marketing experience to the position. Bowser is a graduate of the University of Phoenix with an undergraduate degree in human services management.

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Calson Management is a second-generation, family-owned and operated group with more than 30 years of experience in the senior housing industry. The company provides pre-development, development, owner representation, horizontal and vertical construction services as well as long-term operations. The organization has focused operations that target the California market.

Christian Horizons promotes 2 to SVP level

Brenda Brandl has been promoted to the position of senior vice president of operations, and Dora Silvia has been promoted to the position of senior vice president of sales and marketing, at St. Louis-based Christian Horizons.

Brandl will manage and direct the operations, clinical and quality functions of the organization’s senior living communities and support services. She has more than 20 years of healthcare leadership experience and has provided clinical oversight to dozens of senior living and care communities and facilities in her career, from assisted living to skilled nursing.

Silvia will lead all sales and marketing efforts within the organization. She has more than 20 years of hospitality and healthcare sales and marketing experience.

Lifespace Communities names Swapna Tavtum VP of data and analytics

Swapna Tavtum joined Lifespace Communities as vice president, data and analytics, on Oct. 2. She will lead the organization in harnessing and serving up data as business intelligence to support Lifespace in making informed decisions, improving operations, achieving strategic objectives and finding revenue-generating opportunities.

Lifespace has home offices in West Des Moines, IA, and Dallas. She will be based in Dallas.

Tavtum has more than 17 years of experience leading digital transformations to improve operations and grow revenue through advanced analytics strategies. She has led large digital transformation projects for organizations such as Starbucks, PVH, Southeastern Grocers and Rent-A-Center and also held leadership roles at Infosys Limited and The Hackett Group.

Tavtum earned her Executive Master of Science degree in technology management from Columbia University and her Bachelor of Engineering degree from the University of Chennai, India.

NIC names Jamie Gray director of volunteer engagement

Jamie Gray has been named the director of volunteer engagement for The National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care.

Gray will develop programs to recruit, onboard and integrate new volunteers and build a robust system of training, support and stewardship to support the staff’s work to maximize the talents and contributions of NIC volunteers.

Gray is a certified volunteer administrator and was the volunteer engagement specialist at the Project Management Institute for more than a decade, where she served as the staff liaison for two strategic-level volunteer committees.

Elancé Luxury Living hires 3 executive directors

Collin Baranick, Denise Kircher and Kellie Baker have been named executive directors leading three of Roanoke, VA-based Elancé Luxury Living’s senior living communities in Florida and Virginia. The brand is part of Retirement Unlimited Inc.

Collin Baranick is taking on the role at Elancé at Pasadena, St. Petersburg, FL. He has almost a decade of leadership experience as an executive director in senior living and specialized in high-end luxury living and new development communities in his previous employment.

Denise Kircher is joining the Elancé at Sarasota campus community in Sarasota, FL. She has almost 30 years of experience in the field of healthcare. Prior to becoming an executive director four years ago, she held titles such as business office manager, accounting director and office coordinator.

Kellie Baker joins Elancé at Old Town Alexandria, Alexandria, VA, after having worked in senior living for more than a decade. She began her career in the field as a volunteer ombudsman. Since completing her administrator in training program, she has held titles such as associate executive director, skilled nursing administrator and executive director.  Kellie received her Bachelor of Arts degree in communication from the University of Maryland and a Master’s in Social Work degree from Howard University.

Watermark announces several appointments at Laguna Niguel

Christopher Tharp has been named the executive director of Laguna Niguel, a Watermark Retirement Communities assisted living and memory care community set to open in November in California. 

Before joining Watermark Laguna Niguel, Tharp led luxury senior living communities as an executive director in Carlsbad, CA, and Charleston, SC.

Additionally, Tharp has appointed Hector Gonzalez community life director and Ashley Davidson, LVN, wellness director.   

Gonzalez formerly was the director of services at a senior living community in Carlsbad, CA, and Davidson was a group fitness instructor and previously a supervising licensed vocational nurse in Laguna Hills, CA.

Kendal at Ithaca names Danielle Chontey director of marketing and community relations

Danielle “Dani” Chontey has been named the director of marketing and community relations at Kendal at Ithaca in New York. 

Chontey has more than 30 years of experience in marketing, operations and leadership for a local non-profit cooperative. She already has connections to the retirement community, having previously served as a volunteer there through the Cornell Companions program.

Chontey holds an undergraduate degree from Cornell University and is certified as a yoga instructor. She joins Kendal at Ithaca following the retirement of Betsy Schermerhorn, who led the community’s marketing department for more than 17 years.

Design Environments adds Kevin Wildes as VP of sales

Kevin Wildes has been named vice president of sales for Design Environments, a full-service design, sourcing and installation firm serving the senior living and other industries. 

Wildes has served in a variety of merchandising, sales and marketing roles for companies including Mohawk Industries, The Home Depot and Moss Retail & Environments. Most recently, he was the head of Banko Wilhome, a comprehensive brand marketing company and worked with Model No. Furniture developing their design and sales teams.

Wildes holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in design from the University of Georgia and an MBA from the Michael J. Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State University.

Guardian Pharmacy of Southwest Florida names Jay Mandra president

Jay Mandra, PharmD, has been named president of Guardian Pharmacy of Southwest Florida. 

Before joining the company, Mandra was executive vice president and acting chief operating officer at Symbria, where he oversaw pharmacy and therapy operations. He earned his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Mike Klein, former president and founder of Guardian Pharmacy of Southwest Florida, remains actively involved in pharmacy operations.

Send your personnel news to Lois Bowers at lois.bowers@mcknights.com. High-quality color headshots are welcome but not required.

The Admiral at the Lake, a continuing care retirement / life plan community near Lake Michigan on Chicago’s lakefront, has decided to end its affiliation with the Kendal Corporation.

The CCRC said Friday that it had reached the decision “after careful consideration,” with its board working with advisers, the management team and other stakeholders “to analyze the opportunities that exist for The Admiral at the Lake under a variety of scenarios.”

“Over the last several years, and as part of a periodic system review process, The Admiral at the Lake has participated with the Kendal System in assessing, in good faith, the direction of the Kendal System going forward. Concurrently, The Admiral’s Board of Directors has worked through a rigorous process of self-discernment, as The Kendal Corporation was a critical partner in The Admiral’s redevelopment,” the CCRC said in a news release. “After much deliberation, The Admiral’s Board of Directors has decided to end its affiliation with the Kendal System.”

The entities said that they will work together to ensure a smooth transition, and they expect that the process will “take place in incremental steps over the coming months.”

“The decision to leave the Kendal System allows The Admiral at the Lake to expand its focus on major business goals, such as exploring innovative technologies and processes — and growing relationships with new partners,” the CCRC said. “Additionally, the organization will explore new efficiencies within its operations and more ways to advance its strategic plan.”

Each Kendal senior living community is considered an affiliate of the larger Kendal system and is locally owned, managed and led, according to Kendal.

“Our mission has been sustained for generations by a commitment to continuous evolution,” CCRC CEO Nadia Geigler said in a statement. “It was that spirit that led The Admiral at the Lake to redevelop into the community we are today, and it is in that same spirit that we look forward to our vision of being Chicago’s community of choice for vibrant senior living.”

With the departure of The Admiral at the Lake, Kendal will have 10 affiliated senior living communities and Kendal at Home. The communities are located in California, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, New York and Virginia. The newest community, the Zen-inspired CCRC Enso, is set to open soon in Healdsburg, CA.

“We at The Kendal Corporation understand the need for change and growth, and we support The Admiral at the Lake’s decision,” Kendal’s Chief Financial Officer and interim CEO Amy Harrison said. “Kendal continues its focus on service, support, innovation and growth, both for Kendal-affiliated organizations as well as future partnerships.”

Founded in 1858, The Admiral at the Lake is Chicago’s first and longest-serving not-for-profit senior living community, according to the CCRC. It is named for a hotel that once stood on its site.

The CCRC won a Silver award this year in the McKnight’s Excellence in Technology Awards. The award came in the Senior Living track’s Innovator of the Year category, for “Real-Time Responsive Communication Gives Teams Better Tools,” about the use of the HUCU.ai communication platform by MPAC Healthcare.

Individuals who participate in the senior living community’s paid training program are paid for the three weeks they spend in training, and they then receive immediate employment, with pay starting at $17 an hour, plus health benefits, paid time off and a 503b pharmacy plan.

“Most people can’t commit to three weeks unpaid from their job. It could devastate the finances of the family,” Mariesly Febles, education coordinator at Barclay Friends, said in a press release from the organization. “By providing a paid opportunity to train as a CNA, we empower them to take this next step and ultimately provide a better income for their family.”

Since the CCRC launched its paid training program almost a year ago, 13 students have enrolled. Nine of those participants passed their exams and became CNAs, and six of those CNAs remain employed at Barclay Friends. An additional group of participants will begin the program next month.

“It was incredibly helpful to have on-site experience and guidance from the employees who were more than happy to have us assist them throughout the learning process,” one program participant said.

The CNA training program is made possible through a diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging grant from Kendal Charitable Funds, a 501(c)(3) organization that supports the charitable goals and aspirations of the Kendal Corp. and its affiliates, among others.

Kendal Corp. moved its headquarters to Newark, DE, from Kennett Square, PA, in 2022. The company has 12 communities across nine states: California, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

An entry from Chapel Hill, NC, continuing care retirement community Carolina Meadows was named Best in Show in the 2023 McKnight’s Excellence in Technology Awards during a virtual ceremony on Wednesday that saw dozens of awards go to senior living, skilled nursing and home care providers, as well as technology company partners to providers, across several categories and tracks.

The Best in Show award, bestowed for an entry titled “Building a Mobile Community with AI Assessments,” about Carolina Meadow’s use of VSTBalance by VirtuSense Technologies, was chosen from all winners across the three tracks of the competition: Senior Living, Skilled Nursing and Home Care. The entry also captured the Gold award in the Building Bridges category of the Senior Living track.

Carolina Meadows, as part of its wellness programming, used the AI-powered fall risk assessment tool to help increase resident mobility, function and gait. Carolina Meadows said that it was introduced to the technology at a campus event in August 2021 and that the technology has become instrumental in supporting residents’ health and wellness as well as in building relationships between residents, fitness staff members, and the community’s leadership. 

The awards presentation capped a McKnight’s Tech Awards + Summit that also included three webinars. Sixteen awards were bestowed across five categories in the Senior Living track during the ceremony.

Senior Living winners

The winners in the five categories of the Senior Living track are listed below.

Innovator of the Year

The Innovator of the Year category recognized technologic innovation deemed to have made a difference in the provision of services or care or the bottom line.

Winning Gold in this category was Concord, CA-based Carlton Senior Living, for “Carlton Senior Living Meets Staffing Needs via Alexa-Enabled Solutions,” about the company’s use of Amazon’s Alexa in multiple ways, working with Speak2.

Carlton said it began using Alexa to lessen the burdens on staff members by enabling residents to ask for help and provide as much information as possible via Alexa devices. Staff members use an app or website. Speak2 helped define and create new workflows and develop new technologies, the provider said.

Other award winners in the Senior Living track’s Innovator of the Year category:

• Silver: The Admiral at the Lake, a Kendal affiliate in Chicago, for “Real-Time Responsive Communication Gives Teams Better Tools,” about the use of the HUCU.ai communication platform by MPAC Healthcare.
• Bronze: Maplewood Senior Living, Westport, CT, for “Using AI/Machine Vision to Keep Residents Safe,” about the use of Inspiren’s AUGi augmented intelligence platform at the Inspir Carnegie Hill senior living community in New York City.

Quality

The Quality category recognized the use of technology to improve the quality of services or care.

Winning Gold was The Forum at Rancho San Antonio, Cupertino, CA, for “Smart Monitoring Prevents Falls in Memory Care,” about its use of VSTAlert from VirtuSense Technologies.

The Forum at Rancho San Antonio, managed by Life Care Services, said it used the VSTAlert solution to support patient safety practices for memory care residents and increase the efficiency of the care team. The solution uses artificial intelligence and sensors to monitor residents for bed or chair exits without using loud alarms, wearables or pressure alarms. The provider said that this capability reduces the monitoring workload from care teams.

Other award winners in the awards in the Senior Living track’s Quality category:

• Silver: St. Charles, MO-based Arrow Senior Living Management, for “Arrow Agetech: Automated Wellness Visit with Machine Learning,” about its use of PointClickCare electronic health records system and Microsoft’s Power B-I.
• Bronze: Lloyd Jones and Aviva Senior Living, Granbury, TX, for “Advanced Technology to Improve Resident Experience,” about its use of Rythmos, from Intrex.

Building Bridges

The Building Bridges category recognized the use of technology deemed to have improved connections between staff members and residents and/or their families.

In addition to Carolina Meadows, which won Gold in this category along with being named Best in Show, other award winners in the Senior Living track’s Building Bridges category were:

• Silver: St. Charles, MO-based Arrow Senior Living Management, for “The Archer Scheduling Tool,” which was developed in-house.
• Bronze: Ingleside, for “Streamlining Communication and Resources,” about its use of the digital platform Cubigo.

Keep It Super Simple

The Keep It Super Simple category recognized simple but effective applications of technology that improved the provision of care, services or operations.

Winning Gold in the category was Des Moines, IA-based Life Care Services, an LCS Company, for “Daily Pay.”

Life Care Services launched DailyPay to employees in February 2022 and credits its use with increasing employee satisfaction and retention, saying that it offers employees improved visibility into and control of their finances. Life Care Services said that it is measuring the platform’s effectiveness when it is used with the Oracle Recruiting Cloud and UKG Dimensions to make the company more attractive as an employer from first interaction to pay day.

Other award winners in the Senior Living track’s Keep It Super Simple category:

• Silver: Des Moines, IA-based LCS, for “ORC: The Benefits of Cloud-Based Recruiting,” about its implementation of the Oracle Recruiting Cloud, part of Oracle’s Cloud Human Capital Management.
• Bronze: Ingleside at King Farm, Rockville, MD, for “The Resident Tech Help Team,” about the community’s Tech Help Team, made up of resident volunteers.

Tech Partner of the Year

In addition to winners in provider categories, winners in the Tech Partner of the Year category also were announced. This category recognized companies that helped operators deliver better services or care or improve their bottom lines, ensuring the field’s continued success.

Winning Gold in this category was Atlanta-based Accushield, for “Gig-Based Flexible Scheduling Software,” about its Flex workforce platform.

Accushield said that Flex is a software as a service-based platform that can be fully implemented in four to six weeks with less than 10 hours of commitment from an operator. The company’s entry discussed Bickford Senior Living’s implementation of the platform in 52 communities, enabling it to save millions in overtime costs and staffing agency usage, according to Accushield.

Other award winners in the Senior Living track of the Tech Partner of the Year category:

• Silver: Belgium-based Nobi, for “AI-Powered Nobi Smart Lamp Detects and Prevents Falls.”
• Bronze (tie): Intrex, Reston, VA, for “Unobtrusive Monitoring of Resident Safety Through Advanced Technology,” about Rythmos, a wearable that encompasses nurse call, access control, wander management and infection control.
• Bronze (tie): SafelyYou, for “AI Reduces Falls, Risks and Costs,” about SafelyYou Respond and SafelyYou Aware.

Award winners were chosen by a 23-member panel of experts who assessed entries for their overall value in improving resident care and services, impact, relevance, execution and creativity.

Additional finalists in the Senior Living track are listed here.

See McKnight’s Long-Term Care News and McKnight’s Home Care for more information about the winners in the Skilled Nursing and Home Care tracks, respectively.

More information about the award winners also is available in the virtual awards presentation and will be featured in upcoming articles in the free McKnight’s Senior Living Daily Briefing e-newsletter (sign up here), the McKnight’s Long-Term Care News Daily Update e-newsletter and the McKnight’s Home Care Daily Pulse e-newsletter as well as in the print magazines of McKnight’s Senior Living and McKnight’s Long-Term Care News.

The webinars and virtual awards presentation of the 2023 McKnight’s Tech Awards + Summit is available for on-demand viewing for a year at https://www.mcknights.com/092023techawards. Free registration is required.

Award winners also will be celebrated in person at a cocktail reception 6-9 p.m. Oct. 2 in Denver. Those planning to attend can RSVP here.

Those with questions about the events should contact Events Manager Jackie Testa at jackie.testa@haymarketmedia.com.

Sponsors of the 2023 McKnight’s Tech Awards + Summit include LifeLoop (formerly iN2L + LifeLoop), IntelyCare, MatrixCare, PointClickCare and ShiftKey + OnShift.