Karen Mlawsky named COO at Watermark Retirement Communities
Karen Mlawsky has been appointed to the newly created position of chief operating officer at Tucson, AZ-based Watermark Retirement Communities. She will oversee care and services at all senior living communities Watermark operates nationwide.
Previously a hospital executive, Mlawsky joins Watermark as part of the company’s strategic growth plan. Watermark operates more than 50 senior living communities. It recently assumed management of six communities in California and Arizona and has more under development in California, New York, Arizona and other locations.
Mlawsky’s focus will include upholding company culture as Watermark expands its operations and introduces new services related to senior health and wellbeing.
“With her acute care expertise, she will be invaluable in developing more practices that improve residents’ quality of life by lowering the need to be hospitalized or be readmitted after treatment,” Watermark President and CEO David Barnes said.
Before joining Watermark, Mlawsky was senior vice president and COO of TMC Healthcare in Tucson, AZ. The 650-bed community teaching hospital offers geriatric, medical, surgical, hospice and other services.
Her 30-year career in acute care also includes senior executive positions with the University of Arizona Health Network and the Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus, OH.
She has an undergraduate degree in business administration from the University of Arizona.
Michael Juno promoted to vice president of East Coast operations at Leisure Care
Michael Juno has been promoted to the newly created role of vice president of East Coast operations at Seattle-based Leisure Care, where he will assist the company with several openings planned for this year.
Four of the eight new communities will be acquisitions, bringing Leisure Care’s total number of East Coast communities to 16.
As Leisure Care’s operations director for the past 10 years, Juno was responsible for supporting the general managers at six communities on day-to-day operations. In his new role, he will work closely with Leisure Care’s new business team on market analyses, new acquisitions and onboarding new communities.
Judi Donovan joins Watercrest Senior Living Group as vice president of startup operations
Judi Donovan has joined Vero Beach, FL-based Watercrest Senior Living Group in the newly created role of vice president of startup operations.
In the role, Donovan will oversee the partnership and collaboration between the construction and operational teams to try to ensure a smooth transition for opening new communities and welcoming incoming associates, residents and family members. Watercrest is poised to open a dozen new communities in the next several years.
Donovan most recently was the vice president of operational transition for Harbor Retirement Associates, where she helped launch 15 communities. Other previous roles in her career have included director of operations, regional director of operations and executive director for various organizations.
Donovan began her career in the airline industry. Upon transitioning to the senior living industry, she joined a team opening a continuing care retirement community where her own mother and aunt eventually came to live, giving Donovan a dual perspective on the industry.
Solutions Advisors Group appoints three new senior staff members
St. Petersburg, FL-based Solutions Advisors Group has appointed three new senior staff members. The group includes Solvere Living, the operations management division, and Solutions Advisors, the marketing, advertising, sales, consulting services and digital division.
Jessica Fogg has been appointed senior vice president of consulting for Solutions Advisors. Michele Lindsey has been hired as vice president of team engagement and values for Solutions Advisors Group. Wendy Dorn is managing director of Wellness for Solvere Living.
Fogg, with more than 25 years of sales and marketing experience, will lead Solutions Advisors in assessing and coaching related to sales and strategic marketing for clients. She most recently was vice president of sales and marketing at Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey, where she led the organization’s strategic approach for sales and marketing programs and services. Other former titles include vice president of Solutions Advisors and vice president of sales with Springpoint Senior Living.
Fogg has an undergraduate degree in international business from Florida International University in Miami and a business administration degree from the Peruvian Institute of Business Administration in Lima, Peru.
Lindsey has more than 20 years of experience in human resources recruitment, training and development. She is in charge of SAG’s human resource planning, company values promotion and culture and human resource management initiatives.
Most recently, Lindsey was regional director and human resources director at Brookdale Healthcare Services’ Home Health & Hospice Division. Previous titles include senior division director for human resources and training with Sava Senior Care, division director for human resources and training for Brookdale Senior Living and Horizon Bay.
Lindsey has an undergraduate degree in business administration and organizational management, and an MBA in human resources management from Bryan College in Dayton, TN. She is a certified targeted selection administrator / trainer and holds a certificate in Situational Leadership II from Development Dimensions International.
Dorn is a registered nurse and has been in the nursing field for the past 30 years, working as a staff nurse, director, educator and consultant. She has held many managerial and leadership positions in assisted living, palliative care, home health services, policy development, nursing, education, management and consulting.
In her position with Solvere Living, she will implement wellness standards and initiatives at each community and will support training, ensure compliance and the implementation of best practices for assisted living, memory care and nursing programming.
Dorn most recently was a registered nurse case manager and clinical director at Grace Healthcare Services. She has a BSN from Chamberlain College of Nursing in Downers, IL, and is a certified rehabilitation registered nurse and certified case manager.
Julio Trejo joins Watercrest Senior Living Group as national director of culinary
Julio Trejo has joined Vero Beach, FL-based Watercrest Senior Living Group in a newly created role as national director of culinary, in which he will implement dining and employee training programs.
Trejo brings to the role more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality and senior living industries. As a corporate chef and regional dining specialist, he directly implemented and supervised culinary operations for 42 communities in nine states while consistently exceeding expectations for nutrition and taste.
Ashley Parrish is executive director at The Charlotte
Ashley Parrish has joined Senior Living Communities as executive director of the company’s newest assisted living and memory care community, The Charlotte, in Charlotte, NC.
Parrish has spent the past 13 years in the healthcare industry. She is a graduate of Winthrop University.
William Rich is first resident to be elected to Lifespace Communities Board of Directors
In a first for West Des Moines, IA-based Lifespace Communities, an independent living resident has been elected to the board of directors as a voting member.
William “Bill” Rich, a resident of The Waterford in Juno Beach, FL, assumes the role after a comprehensive selection process.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Bill as a voting member of the governing body for Lifespace Communities,” Lifespace Board of Directors Chair E. LaVerne Epp said. “Bill is passionate about making an impact. We believe his background and board experience make him well suited for the fiduciary responsibility of serving as a Lifespace Board member, while also enabling him to bring forward the resident perspective.”
Before retirement, Rich had a career in the for-profit sector, where he worked for International Business Machines or almost 30 years. While at IBM, he held a variety of positions, including corporate secretary, corporate vice president and president of the IBM Service Sector Group. He has experience working with national and international not-for-profit organizations, including Covenant House, where he served on the board for eight years. The organization provides shelter and support services to homeless youth in North and Central America.
“The Waterford has been my home for more than a decade, so it’s a great honor and privilege to be the first resident elected to the Lifespace Board,” Rich said. “I’m excited to collaborate with my fellow board members and the Lifespace leadership team in shaping a bright future for the organization and its residents.”
Rich earned his undergraduate degree from Williams College in Williamstown, MA. He is treasurer for Hands Together for Haitians, a Palm Beach County not-for-profit that assists Haitian immigrants with assimilating into the United States.
Lifesapce owns and operators 12 retirement communities across seven states.
Kelly Hazlett joins Senior Source Consulting Group as director of executive recruiting
Kelly Hazlett has joined Senior Source Consulting Group as director of executive recruiting.
The company provides marketing and sales support to clients who own and operate senior living communities. Hazlett will be responsible for direct recruiting, coordination of all recruiting efforts and staff and business development.
With more than 20 years of experience in human resources and recruiting, Hazlett most recently worked for Watercrest Senior Living Group. There, she worked to develop a comprehensive human capital strategy to attract and acquire top talent as well as Watercrest’s “1st 30 day” experience for new associates. She also helped the company develop and promote consistent on-boarding program throughout all communities.
Hazlett has an undergraduate degree in human resources management from Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL. She is a member of the Society of Human Resources Management and the Treasure Coast Human Resources Association.
Hugh R. Frater named CEO of Fannie Mae
Hugh R. Frater has been appointed CEO of Fannie Mae. He will set the overall enterprise vision and strategic direction of the company. In addition to his role as CEO, Frater remains on the board of directors, where he has served since 2016.
Frater had been interim CEO since October 2018. His appointment comes after a six-month nationwide search.
Frater has held several executive and management roles throughout his career. He currently is non-executive chairman of the board of VEREIT. He was chairman of national commercial real estate company Berkadia from April 2014 to December 2015 and CEO of Berkadia from 2010 to April 2014.
Earlier in his career, Frater was an executive vice president at PNC Financial Services, where he led the real estate division, and was a founding partner and managing director of BlackRock.
Jay Ramkumar named director of louvers and architectural solutions at Ruskin
Jay Ramkumar has been hired as director of louvers and architectural solutions at Grandview, MO-based Ruskin, a manufacturer of air control solutions. In this role, he will oversee product development, application engineering and sales of Ruskin’s expanding louver production offering.
Ramkumar has almost 15 years of experience in the mechanical and construction industries, serving in a variety of roles, including product manager, senior applications engineer, vertical marketing manager and MEP engineer involved in healthcare, education and other construction projects.
Ramkumar earned his Master of Science degree in civil engineering, with a construction focus, from Iowa State University, and his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from Stony Brook University in New York. In addition, Ramkumar is LEED AP BD+C certified with the U.S. Green Building Council.
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