Steven Swain leaves DISH to become chief financial officer at Brookdale Senior Living

Steve Swain headshot

Steve Swain

Steven Swain has been named chief financial officer and executive vice president at Brentwood, TN-based Brookdale Senior Living. He is expected to start on Sept. 4 and will succeed the company’s current interim CFO, Teresa Sparks.

In his new role, Swain will be responsible for the company’s finance, financial planning and analysis, investor relations, market insights and analytics, tax and treasury functions.

Swain has almost two decades of finance leadership experience and most recently was CFO of DISH Network Corp. He also spent more than 15 years working in the telecommunications sector, where he served in multiple leadership roles in finance and engineering operations.

Tammy L. Marshall named as chief experience officer at Thrive Senior Living

Tammy L. Marshall has been named as chief experience officer at Atlanta-headquartered Thrive Senior Living, which offers independent living, assisted living or memory care at more than two dozen communities in nine states. In her new role, she will spearhead efforts to continue the transformation of the resident and staff experience from a clinical focus to a human focus, Thrive said.

Marshall, who joined Thrive in May, brings more than 25 years of experience in the field of human hospitality to the position. She most recently served as chief experience officer for The New Jewish Home and before that was the organization’s director of Green House education.

Before joining The New Jewish Home, Marshall was the first female vice president of mission and strategy for Susquehanna Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Johnson City, NY. She also led New York City’s first small house living initiative and introduced an empathy and hospitality platform for long-term care environments – along with Just Think Hospitality, a business management consultant company based out of New York City.

Marshall holds degrees in nursing and the social sciences.

Fleming Meng joins HumanGood as chief information officer

Fleming Meng has joined HumanGood as chief information officer. In this role, he will lead the organization’s IT team from the Glendale, CA, office.

Previously, Meng led global IT operations for Ingram Micro, a Fortune 500 information technology distributor based in Irvine, California. Before that, he led international IT operations for Ecolab, a global provider of water, hygiene and energy technologies and services.

Fleming received his master’s degree in telecommunication systems from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and his undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from Shanghai University.

Welltower announces several promotions

Toledo, OH-based real estate investment trust Welltower has announced the promotion of Shankh Mitra (pictured) to executive vice president and chief investment officer from his current position as senior vice president, investments.

Additionally, Tim McHugh has been promoted to senior vice president, corporate finance from his current position as vice president, finance and investments. Tim Lordan has been named senior vice president and corporate treasurer, and Rich Hansen has assumed expanded responsibilities as vice president, asset management.

Welltower said that Mitra’s promotion reflects his responsibility for the company’s acquisition and investment activity, including seniors housing, medical office buildings and other healthcare properties, as well as his oversight for the company’s expanded asset management function.

McHugh will continue to oversee the capital markets and corporate finance functions and gains responsibility for the company’s combined financial planning and analysis and portfolio management functions.

Lordan joined Welltower in 2014 as vice president, investment integration, and assumed additional responsibilities as co-lead for the company’s portfolio management and reporting services before being promoted to senior vice president, asset management, January 2017.

Hansen will have expanded accountability for asset, management and value-added services and sustainability.

Brian Devlin named senior vice president – project development at Covenant Retirement Communities

Brian Devlin has been named senior vice president – project development at Skokie, IL-based Covenant Retirement Communities, which has 16 communities in nine states. In this new role, he will lead strategies related to growth and expansion of the organization’s campuses across the country.

Devlin has more than 15 years experience in the senior living field. In his previous roles, he has managed redevelopment work for large multi-site senior living providers as well as managing aspects of start-up communities, property acquisitions and consultations.

Devlin graduated from Texas Tech University with a degree in architecture and has served on the Education Committee of the national LeadingAge Annual Meeting and Expo.

Christopher Thompson named vice president of hospitality at Harbor Retirement Associates

Christopher Thompson has been named vice president of hospitality at Vero Beach, FL-based Harbor Retirement Associates, which offers independent living, assisted living, memory care, and respite and day care at more than 30 communities in 10 states, with additional communities under construction. In his new role, he primarily will be responsible for designing, planning and implementing standards, policies and programs that positively affect the delivery of services to HRA’s residents nationwide.

Thompson has more than 28 years of experience in the culinary and culinary education industries. He previously was HRA’s national director of culinary services and has served in many other roles, including executive chef, chef instructor, culinary dean, associate director of education and director of business operations and finance. He also has served as a corporate consultant for various properties and campuses.

Thompson studied culinary arts and hospitality management at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. He is a certified executive chef through the American Culinary Federation and holds various other certifications through the National Restaurant Association. He has received multiple awards, including Educator of the Year for Academic Leadership, L’Esprit d’ Excellence (The Spirit of Excellence) and Extraordinary Student Experience from Le Cordon Bleu-North America. Thompson also is an 11-time recipient of Faculty of the Quarter during his years serving as a culinary instructor.

Kerry Donegan named executive director of Porter Place

Kerry Donegan has been named executive director of Porter Place, an Anthem Memory Care community in Tinley Park, IL.

Donegan previously was administrator of Heritage Woods of Plainfield. She also previously held positions with Emeritus Senior Living, HCR ManorCare and others.

Donegan is a licensed social worker and licensed nursing home administrator. She received a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago and an undergraduate degree in social work with a minor in business administration from Saint Mary’s of Notre Dame in Indiana.

Sam Oden named executive director at Royal Oaks

Sam Oden will assume the role of executive director at Royal Oaks, a HumanGood life plan community in Bradbury, CA, starting Aug. 20.

Since 2016, he has been executive director of another HumanGood life plan community, Terraces at Los Altos, Los Altos, CA, which had a grand opening last year.

Before joining Los Altos as the executive director, Oden was the administrator of Redwood Terrace, a HumanGood life plan community in Escondido, CA.

Tom Farrish named director of sales and marketing at Foothill Village Senior Living

Tom Farrish has been named director of sales and marketing at Foothill Village Senior Living, an Angels Camp, CA, independent living, assisted living and memory care community managed by Integral Senior Living.

Farrish brings to the position many years of advertising and sales experience, including a number of years working for newspapers in the area. He spent 20 years in the computer industry before shifting his focus to advertising. While in the computer industry, he worked on corporate and government accounts with organizations such as NASA and the Department of Energy.

Farrish is a graduate of Foothill College in Los Altos Hills and San Jose State University.

Elise Power named Jewish community liaison at Legacy Senior Communities

Elise Power has been named Jewish community liaison at The Legacy at Home, part of Plano, TX-based The Legacy Senior Communities.

The Jewish-sponsored agency provides comprehensive Medicare-certified home healthcare and personal assistance with daily living to seniors. Power’s appointment comes as the agency seeks to further develop and maintain Jewish connections in the Greater Dallas community.

Power has more than 30 years of experience in the healthcare and home health industries. She also has a personal connection to Legacy Senior Communities: her late father was a resident of Legacy Willow Bend, the company’s life care retirement community in Plano, TX.

Send personnel news to Senior Editor Lois A. Bowers. Please include a high-quality color photo.