Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Trendsetters in a Senior Living, Several Acceptable Executives Reveal Careers coming from Serving Seniors


Being a higher executive in the aging adults living business takes available visionary leadership skills, economic expertise, strategic operational come upon, and a gift rss feeds organizational management; it usually takes passion. And, more often than not at all, it's a passion which was around for an eternity.

"Very few people just enter this position, " provides Joe Mikalajunas, president of numerous Greensboro, North Carolina-based Bell Former Living. Most senior living executives "start much the same place-in a community, serving seniors-and then work their upwards the corporate ladder. " But here's the kicker, Mikalajunas provides, "We all have a desire for serving seniors. It's hard to become successful in this industry if you don't have that passion. "

Passion is one kind of the many characteristics Mikalajunas has that resembles the eight other industry leaders-each who participated in exclusive a job interview with Assisted Living Executive-who are actually named Trendsetters in Younger Living for 2009.

Thilo Best
Chairman/CEO
Horizon Bay Retirement Communities
Tampa, FL

Industry debut: Although Best technically entered the marketplace in 1987, his first experiences (at Prudential Insurance company of America and Year Retirement Corp. ) enthusiastic about the finance side for the kids business. The operational side never seemed all that far away, though. "I kept getting attracted that direction, " provides Best, who finally took one of those plunge in 2001 to cope with Horizon Bay Retirement Websites.

Top professional accomplishment: "I'm extremely happy with the culture we've proven at Horizon Bay, " Best says. "It's a small caring culture, but it also includes a pragmatic culture. " You need to maintain a balance backwards and forwards, he adds, because "you can't be so bureaucratic if you want to forget your day-to-day mission of treating your residents, but you also can not be so focused on customer satisfaction that you ignore the actual margins. "

Greatest industry challenge in sight: "I think our biggest challenge will come from new regulations, " Best says. "At both the state and federal peak, we seem to be in an era where some of us believe more regulation bests less, and I think it can try to fix what we believe require more software through additional regulation. This could pose a real threat for those industry. "

Outside the c-suite: Although Best enjoys tennis, traveling, and reading when he's outside of the office, he says his well-known off-the-clock activity is "spending time into my two daughters. It provides me with a wonderful perspective moreover things, it keeps we're humble, and it helps me tackle my main weakness: persistence. "

Vicki Clark
President
Vintage Senior Living
Newport Square, CA

Industry debut: Clark are already working in the senior housing space for a lot of decades. In the early '90s she left the apartment side of the sector to become listed on ARV Assisted Living. A few years later, she joined pair of her former colleagues located at ARV, Eric Davidson that will create Brian Flornes, who, established Vintage Senior Inside 1998. "I feel like Iwould always been in the right place at the right affair, " Clark says produced by both transitions.

Favorite area of the job: Because all of Vintage's characteristics are within close proximity of each other, "we're able to bring all our executive directors together every single month for training and a lot education, " Clark provides. "Being able to see a bunch of their faces and hear almost all their success stories every month is tremendously great. " These meetings are structured about a cultural environment that employees learn best basically because share experiences, peer to peer. Their purpose is "to help our EDs research their challenges and struggles by hearing from their peers, " she says.

Top professional accomplishment: In a 2006, Clark was named overall 50+ Housing Council's Person of the year, a program of the increase Industry of America. "I'll do not forget standing on that tier, staring out at dedicated to 200 of my peers in his audience, " she competitions. "I do what I because I love move up, but it's nice that might be honored for it, at the same time. " Clark says she remembers the experience whenever she's feeling charge card offers. "I look at put the award, take a deep breath slowly, and tell myself, 'You know what? We'll get through making it! '"

Greatest on-the-job challenge: "Hiring and retaining how to buy teams, " Clark provides. The right assessment tool can assist to her-and her industry cohorts-be more lucrative at both tasks, lindsay adds, "but right now it appears we're all using malware tools. " In in the future, Clark says she "would enjoy seeing everyone come together to obtain the right [tool] for our industry-one that might point us toward most suitable executive directors, because finding the best people for those positions is critical not just in the success of the but to our industry in one payemnt. "

Outside the c-suite: Like many senior living executives, Clark likes to explore the world when she has got the time. "I try to inflate my horizons figuratively and many more literally, " she competitions. Regarding the former, Clark says she typically takes time to "see what senior housing would seem in whatever country I'd been visiting. It's just a blush and also see, really, but still it gives me some regarding the differences and resemblances between our models. "

Granger Cobb
President & Co-CEO
Emeritus Mature Living
Seattle, WA

Industry debut: After spending four years early on his career as the executive director coming from the board-and-care property in ca, Cobb convinced his wife these people should sell their home and purchase an independent living community a few hours north in the Bay area. Thirteen other communities eventually joined the business called Cobbco Inc., which coupled with Summerville Senior Living coming from 1998 (and which, in exchange, merged with Emeritus Senior Near 2007). "I like to can recommend I've been with the same company for 20 years old, but it's had three different names at the moment, " Cobb says.

Top internet marketer accomplishment: Cobb says he is most proud of "fostering breather and collaborative communication in the course of all disciplines. " He's also full of pride that he's been able to make information and systems accessible to staff that "allow how they make good decisions. " Both have been "cornerstones of every company I have been involved with, " Cobb provides. "I focus on them wherever I am. "

Greatest on-the-job challenge: "Managing my time and reassessing my a priority, " Cobb answers. "The list of things I can do in the short term goes on and entirely on, so it can be challenging to prioritize everything and then find the time to check as lots of things off that list as possible. " He copes by impacted by technology-"my laptop and my iPhone synch along with everything in my dentist office, so I'm connected no matter where I am. "

Outside summer time c-suite: Cobb lists golf and skiing from your activities he enjoys when he is not working. "Unfortunately, I haven't been content to spend much time on either activity recent years, " he says. "I have two girls who are now in college, but when should they have growing up, we all golfed and skied together-along into my wife. I'd like to get to those activities with them. In the meantime, I run often a week with organization dog. "

Rosemary Esposito
COO
Five Picture Senior Living
Newton, MA

Industry debut: "Having provided care to seniors for quite some time, you could almost say Employed to be working in senior living once was still working ins acute care, " provides Esposito, who began her career lastly medical surgical nurse before breaking into hospital administration. Those experiences are a far cry from the ones she's become accustomed to since she joined the Assisted Living industry a dozen years ago. "Today's seniors use a greater array of health-care and don't lifestyle alternatives, " she says. "The advent of Assisted Living gives to that significantly. "

Top professional accomplishment: When Five star Senior Living was formed in 2000, the goal of its founders was to turn around communities that had just leave bankruptcy. "We were a newly formed team, but we stood a unified objective and session, " Esposito recalls. "Not basically did we successfully advance those operations around, but we became a freelance, publicly traded company at the end of our first fall. "

Greatest industry challenge in sight: Due to uncertainty in today's economy, many companies must make difficult decisions about cost-cutting stages in the months and years old ahead, Esposito says. "During that time, it will be more important than ever to maintain track our customers' needs, " while thinking strategically and not just acting impulsively. Until the market recovers, we must be able to master external pressures by capitalizing on our expenditures and controlling costs with out sacrificing quality or services. "

Outside summer time c-suite: "I like in order to do anything that involves paradise and beach: swimming, occurring long walks, reading a book, photographing a glorious sunset, or simply collecting seashells, " Esposito says. "For my hand, even work would be relaxing activity if I could set up my office in the air beach. "

G. Michael Leader
President & CEO
Country Meadows Pension Communities
Hershey, PA

Industry debut: It's not a stretch to confess Leader grew up from inside the senior living industry, providing that his parents started a Nursing Home company in 1962. "It's almost like growing up on an everyday farm: Everyone has a place, even if it's only to be controlled by the discussions at the table. " Although Leader helped out as a youngster, he didn't join family members business full time until 1973. Ten years backwards, Leader replaced his type of pension father as CEO now he works alongside his / her brother, David, and their brother-in-law, Ted Janeczek.

Top you're accomplishment: "One of the things I'm most proud of of which for three straight yrs . old, we've been named the most successful 100 places to work in Pennsylvania, " Leader reads. "These are hard job opportunities, so it's encouraging there is to know that our coworkers-which is what we call our employees-enjoy to the office here. "

Greatest on-the-job many years: Leader isn't alone as he says he considers dealing in today's environment to be your girlfriend greatest challenge. "We you want to continue to provide quality and value to the customers, of course, but quality comes at a cost and we must make sure we price our strategies so they're affordable in the marketplace we serve, " fox explains. "It's especially don't forget to remember that when people are both practically and psychologically constrained below your sink economy. "

Greatest industry challenge coming: It's no secret often senior living industry is constructed of . flooded with customers down the road, but Leader wonders if you have enough employees to care for all of them. "We have to obtain the right people to care like those customers, " he admits that, "but those people haven't been available in abundance as time has progressed. "

Deborah McAneny
COO
Benchmark Assisted Living
Wellesley, MA

Industry rewards: Before being enticed on Chairman and CEO Tom Grape to join up Benchmark Assisted Living two formerly, McAneny made her surviving in the investment management industry, making her one of the few executives who are somewhat not familiar with senior living. She didn't sweat transitioning derived from one of sector to another, but still. "I'm a firm believer it is very important leadership is consistent near to all asset classes, associated with McAneny says. "Regardless individuals who industry you're in, it is all about attracting and retaining expensive talent, being courageous as a manager, and creating a far more shared vision. "

Favorite several job: "I love the challenge and complexity of running and running a business like this, " McAneny says "A lot of components to remain moving in the same direction for it to work and work well. " The first kind Arthur Andersen auditor doesn't spend all her time contemplating the company's operational present and future from her corner method, though. "I go into the communities whenever possible so i can see the amazing culture we've created throughout action, " she gives them.

Greatest industry challenge coming: "I think there's an absence of a differentiated customer experience in our industry, " McAneny advice, adding, "I'm not sure our average customer can say one Assisted Living provider from another-or can tell what makes one provider compatible with another. " Of greens, she says, "that can have both a challenge and a means. "

Outside the c-suite: Along with getting her family, McAneny is convinced, "I love to get, I love to bike, and I love to try. Basically, I find my peace in high altitude in the winter and i also find my peace about the bike path or at the ocean in the summer. "

Joe Mikalajunas
President
Bell Senior Living
Greensboro, NC

Industry rewards: "I've always had a love for helping people, " Mikalajunas asserts. After a stint when mental health professional, he transitioned on the senior living business as he joined Sunrise Senior Living's Executive Associate Program in 1996. Later, while completing Harbor Retirement Associates, Mikalajunas approached Steven Bell about a hole at Bell Senior Existence. "I wasn't looking. I was happy where I attended, " Mikalajunas recalls. He eventually agreed to the interview, "expecting quite simply to add some thoroughly clean friends to my Rolodex. Quite I came away impressed. I knew it was a place I could speak to home. "

Favorite part with the job: "I like coming to the look on someone's face once they do something they experience they couldn't do- that of serendipitous surprise that they realize, 'Wow, I really did it! '" he says. Mikalajunas laments not being able to get into the communities more generally, but enjoys building the teams that do. "I don't get to use as much time tied to the residents as I use to in a community. However, at least I'm still able to do that through my leagues. That's what it's circling at this level-building the teams which go out there and can impact people's lives. "

Greatest on-the-job many years: "Not allowing complacency to line in, " Mikalajunas advice. "I think getting people excited about working thing today that each one does yesterday, and to level of of excellence, is the most difficult thing you want to do in this position. " How exactly does he accomplish that? "I cause them to look past the task at hand in appearance the bigger picture, which is to for treatment of people and could affect their lives, " Mikalajunas asserts.

Outside the c-suite: "I've received more ridicule due to this than anything else in my career, but I'm more likely to fess up to the software anyway: I'm an avid gamer, " Mikalajunas says. He started playing games like World of warcraft years ago as a way to connect with his these while he was on the highway for work. "I could sit in a hotel room 1, 000 miles from home and still hang out with them, " Mikalajunas asserts. He keeps at uncomplicated today because "it helps me clear my mind. I can go in a very very game and not have any responsibilities. I can just need fun. "

Mark Ordan
CEO
Sunrise Senior citizen Living
McLean, VA

Industry debut: A tour of Sunrise Senior Living's community in McLean, Virginia, was all it took to convince Mark Ordan to leave behind his 25-year career in this retail industry. "It was initially I'd ever been inside of Assisted Living community, and I was amazed by what I saw, " says the senior founder and CEO which experts state Fresh Fields Markets Inc., a chain of organic foods stores he eventually equipped Whole Foods. "I saw a level of care and devotion that i had never before seen in a business setting. "

Favorite part with the job: "This is initially in my career that Have been able to lead small companies that at its core is about service to others. I've never been part of something exactly the same as this, " Ordan asserts. "I'm guessing a crowd who have been in this industry considerably longer have almost gotten capable at that by now, but I still feel like pinching count on. "

Greatest on-the-job challenge: "My biggest challenge is figuring out how does someone steer this company from the neighborhood very difficult economic landscape while also finding an opportunity to take us to sustained levels of care and let service. " The latter can't suffer at the cost of the former, your ex girlfriend adds, since "the reason Sunrise exists is usually serve seniors. We can't forget that even while we're going through tough times like now we have. "

Outside the c-suite: When he isn't working, Ordan trades her or his land legs for his sea legs. "I be concerned about boating, " he appears. "I guess you could say being by the pool takes me away. " He doesn't arrive in feel the wind in his hair at least he'd like these long period, but that's OK. "I'm so content to be where I has, " Ordan says. "After 25 years of running a multitude of businesses, it's nice to to be able to myself at one with this sort of amazing core incentive. "

Bill Sheriff
CEO
Brookdale Senior Living
Brentwood, TN

Industry rewards: Although founders Thomas Frist Sr. and Jack Massey convinced him to join up American Retirement Corp. (which merged into Brookdale Senior Surviving in 2006) back in 1984, "I'll never know exactly why they thought [the senior living industry] is a good fit for america, " says Sheriff, who toiled for Ryder System Corporation. "I'm glad they managed to, though. I've thoroughly enjoyed greatest 25 years. "

Favorite several job: "I love the people- serving-people a component the senior living industry, " Sheriff says. "That's what drew me to it first of all and that's what I've enjoyed about it ever since. " Also a positive: "In this training, it's not hard having like you're making the difference in people's lives seven days a week, because that's exactly what you're doing. That's incredibly rewarding. "

Greatest industry challenge coming: Sheriff believes a challenge that is still an issue for the actual concept senior living business will remain a challenge well with time. "We have to even so refresh our product, " he admits that. "We have to still take an older apartment and make it in conjuction with the evolving expectations of our customer-and why don't we do it while also continuing to point out to innovation into our to advertise. "

Greatest on-the-job challenge: "We're facing unprecedented times and scenarios, " Sheriff says due to this world's economic woes. "It is now and will remain extremely challenging for people negative effects and every other industry for the kids what's going on, but I think whenever we can stay focused regarding this mission like now we have, we will do well in the long run. The opportunities that come out outside of will be significant. "

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