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New Perspective appoints Ryan Novaczyk as CEO and Chris Hyatt as president

Ryan Novaczyk

Ryan Novaczyk has been appointed CEO and Chris Hyatt has been appointed president of Minnetonka, MN-based New Perspective Senior Living, the company announced Monday.

Founder and CEO Todd Novaczyk will assume the position of chairman of the board.

“I am humbled and excited to be leading such a wonderful team and continuing the legacy that my grandmother, Betty, inspired,” Ryan Novaczyk said in a statement. “As we celebrate 20 years in business, I am motivated by the residents, families and team members we are serving today and those we have yet to serve as we work towards achieving our 2025 vision” of serving 10,000 residents who “Live Life on Purpose.”

Chris Hyatt

Hyatt, who joined the company as a partner and chief operating officer in December 2016, has been instrumental in reshaping the company’s senior leadership team and operating infrastructure to allow for rapid growth while maintaining standards and discipline, according to New Perspective.

Todd Novaczyk

New Perspective is a family-owned company that develops, owns and operates 24 communities serving 2,500 independent living, assisted living and memory care residents in Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin and Illinois. Its foundational belief, that all seniors deserve to Live Life on Purpose and age with dignity, was forged from personal experience, according to the company: For seven years, Todd Novaczyk and his family cared for his mother-in-law, Betty Berkeley, who lived with Alzheimer’s disease.

The announcement of the appointments comes on the heels of the opening of the company’s new 30,000 square-foot resource center and headquarters. The building opened with 49 team members and features a 100-seat training center, conference rooms, workstations and collaboration suites, an architectural/interior design studio, video production and communications center, fitness facilities and more.

New Lasell University VP Basil Stewart will be CFO of CCRC

Basil Stewart

Basil Stewart has been named vice president for finance and administration at Lasell University, Newton, MA. In the role, he will serve as chief financial officer for both the university and its onsite continuing care retirement community, Lasell Village.

Stewart most recently was CFO and senior vice president for finance and administration at Merrimack College, North Andover, MA, where he was responsible for all business and financial operations, including risk management, information technology and human resources. Earlier in his career, he was controller at several higher education institutions, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northeastern University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Smith College and the Wentworth Institute of Technology.

A certified public accountant, Stewart began his professional career at Coopers & Lybrand. He earned his undergraduate and MBA degrees from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Peconic Landing promotes VP Gregory J. Garrett to chief operating officer

Gregory Garrett

Gregory J. Garrett has been promoted to chief operating officer at Peconic Landing at Southold, a continuing care retirement community in Greenport, NY. He also will assume the role of chief information security officer. 

Garrett joined Peconic Landing 13 years ago as nursing home administrator, then was promoted to executive vice president.

He is a licensed New York State nursing home administrator, certified aging services professional and certified nursing home administrator. Garrett also is the past recipient of LeadingAge New York’s Thomas Clarke Memorial Award, which recognizes young administrators for outstanding leadership.

Covenant Living names vice president of philanthropy, James Torrible

James Torrible

James Torrible has been named vice president of philanthropy at Skokie, IL-based Covenant Living Communities and Services.

A certified fund-raising executive, he comes to Covenant Living with experience working within higher education, healthcare, corporate and foundation relations.

In his role at Covenant Living, Torrible will be responsible for strategic oversight of all aspects of fund development throughout the organization and for providing executive leadership for directors of development at the 16 Covenant Living communities in nine states across the country. He also will be responsible for establishing organization-wide fund development systems and tools and the strategic leadership for the Covenant Living Foundation.

Oswego Health hires new senior director of communications, Jamie Leszczynski

Jamie Leszczynski

Jamie Leszczynski has been hired by Oswego Health, Oswego, NY, as senior director of communications.

She will oversee the marketing and communications of the entire healthcare system, which includes retirement community Springside at Seneca Hill; 120-bed skilled nursing facility The Manor at Seneca Hill; a 164-bed community hospital; a 28-bed psychiatric acute-care facility with multiple outpatient behavioral health service locations; and several health services centers.

Leszczynski earned an undergraduate degree from Oswego State University.

She began her career as marketing manager at the former Oswego County National Bank. She also formerly was associate director of annual giving for SUNY Oswego and, most recently, senior vice president for ABC Creative Group, an advertising agency in Syracuse, NY.

The Legacy Senior Communities names Wesley Helms director of corporate food and beverage

Wesley Helms

Wesley Helms has been named director of corporate food and beverage at Plano, TX-based The Legacy Senior Communities.

Helms joins the not-for-profit organization with almost two decades of experience in the dining industry through various roles including within the senior living industry.

The services and communities of The Legacy are Jewish-sponsored, but they honor and welcome all faiths. The company includes The Legacy Willow Bend, a life care community in Plano, TX, which will be joined in 2020 by The Legacy Midtown Park, a rental continuing care retirement community in Dallas.

Senior Living Communities welcomes new regional sales director, Kate Leach

Kate Leach

Kate Leach has joined Charlotte, NC-based Senior Living Communities as regional sales director.

She will support the sales teams at the communities.

Leach has spent the past decade working within the healthcare industry in various sales and marketing positions.

Senior Star at Villa Ventura welcomes new executive director, Connie Haworth

Connie Haworth

Connie Haworth has been appointed executive director of  Senior Star at Villa Ventura, an independent and assisted living community in Kansas City, MO.

She brings more than 25 years of senior housing leadership experience to her role, having most recently served in a consulting position where she analyzed 42 senior living communities in the areas of infrastructure, programs, safety, dining and overall experience.

During her first year, Haworth plans to work with the Villa Ventura team to help them grow and develop in their roles.

The new executive director holds an undergraduate degree in psychology and theater from Avila University in Kansas City and a Master of Arts degree in counseling psychology from the University of Missouri, Kansas City.

Portola Gardens names new director of resident care, Ivan Emiliano

Ivan Emiliano

Ivan Emiliano has been named as the director of resident care at Portola Gardens, a CiminoCare assisted living and memory care community in San Francisco.

Emiliano joins Portola Gardens having most recently worked as the vocational nurse instructor at Unitek College in South San Francisco, where he had a 100% pass rate for all his graduating students. Previously, he was the director of staff development at Kindred-Tunnell. He also formerly was the director of staff development and nursing supervisor at San Francisco Healthcare and Rehab.

Emiliano is a graduate of the N.C.P School of Nursing.

Seabrook welcomes new executive director, Phil Jean

Phil Jean

Phil Jean has been promoted to executive director of Seabrook, a continuing care retirement community developed and managed by Erickson Living in Tinton Falls, NJ.

Jean brings more than 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry to his new role. He joined Erickson Living in 2016 as the associate executive director at sister community Linden Ponds in Hingham, MA. Before that, he was an operations consultant, led several eldercare and independent living operations and was a licensed nursing home administrator within a few healthcare systems.

Jean earned his undergraduate degree in business administration and management and minored in French at the University of Maine. He earned his master’s degree in healthcare administration and management from Husson College in Maine.

Brightwater announces new lifestyle adviser, Lynn Young

Lynn Young

Lynn Young is the new lifestyle adviser at Brightwater, a Senior Living Communities continuing care retirement community in Myrtle Beach, SC.

Young has 33 years of experience working in marketing and sales. In the past few years, he has managed digital accounts to provide coverage for broadcasting groups in local areas.

Oakmont of Camarillo names chef, Roberto Neri, for community opening this winter

Roberto Neri

Roberto Neri has been named chef at Oakmont of Camarillo, an Oakmont Senior Living assisted living and memory care community set to open this winter in Camarillo, CA.

Neri comes to Oakmont of Camarillo after a career in London and Italy. There, he partnered with a team to open a restaurant in London called Grano, which won the Carlton Award for best new Italian restaurant in the late 1990s. Neri moved to London after culinary school in Italy, where he grew up.

Neri joined the Four Seasons Hotel family in 2001 to open Quadrato in Canary Wharf, London, recognized by Zagat as one of the best restaurants in the United Kingdom in 2002. He also helped Four Seasons open restaurants in Amman, Jordan, and Jackson Hole, WY.

Tod Petty

Lloyd Jones appoints Tod Petty head of Lloyd Jones Senior Living

Former Thrive Senior Living President Tod Petty has joined Miami-based senior housing and multifamily investment firm Lloyd Jones Senior Living as executive vice president.

He will oversee the firm’s senior properties, new developments and Lloyd Jones Senior Living third-party management business.

Aegis Living CEO Dwayne Clark has book on Amazon best-seller lists

Dwayne Clark, founder, CEO and chairman of Aegis Living.
Dwayne Clark

Aegis CEO Dwayne Clark’s book “30 Summers More” was released this month by Brisance Publishing and hit several best-seller categories on Amazon in the opening week, according to the publisher:

No. 1 Amazon Best Seller – Exercise & Fitness for the Aging

No. 1 Amazon Best Seller – New Release in Exercise & Fitness

No. 4 Amazon Best Seller – Best Gift Idea

No. 13 Amazon Best Seller – Top 100 in Longevity

No. 38 Amazon Best Seller – Top 100 Aging Nutrition & Diets

In the book, Clark provides “longevity bio-hacks” to help readers gain better health. Using personal stories and health and wellness research, the CEO “gives those over 50 the road map to aging with fewer of the traditional problems to worry about,” according to the publisher.

All profits from the sale of “30 Summers More” are being donated to the American Diabetes Association.

The Congress Companies welcomes new vice president of business development, Ed Dann

Ed Dann

Ed Dann recently joined Peabody, MA-based construction management and development company The Congress Companies as vice president of business development.

In this role, Dann is responsible for meeting business development goals, including prospecting new business opportunities and cultivating and maintaining client relations and growth within the firm’s target markets throughout New England.

He has more than 30 years of experience in sales, operations and brand development.

Dann most recently was vice president of New England business development with EMJ Construction in Waltham, MA. Prior to that, he was vice president of business development with Dellbrook/JKS.

JLL adds Shawn James O’Connor to valuation advisory practice

Shawn James O’Connor has joined JLL as an executive vice president in the valuation advisory business. He will focus on seniors housing valuation in the Rocky Mountain region as well as general valuation services in the Denver area.

In addition to his valuation duties, O’Connor will sit on JLL Valuation Advisory’s Technology Committee, where he will help drive technology and data strategies into the valuation process.

He rejoins JLL, where he previously served in senior positions appraising complex seniors housing portfolios from 1999 to 2017.

MedCore Partners announces expansion of senior living team

Anthony Fulco has joined Dallas-based real estate company MedCore Partners as seniors housing director of acquisitions, and Jack Burt has joined as senior vice president of operations.

Anthony Fulco

Fulco will be responsible for the sourcing, underwriting and closing of acquisitions at MedCore. Much of his focus will be on acquiring single-asset and portfolio-based independent living, assisted living and memory care projects.

Before joining MedCore, Fulco held senior living executive positions with Thrive F.P. and Virtus Real Estate Capital, where he oversaw and closed more than $750 million of seniors housing and healthcare-related real estate acquisitions and developments.

Jack Burt

Burt is responsible for further developing MedCore’s asset management platform with a focus on operational best practices, performance measurement tools, growth strategy and direct oversight of assigned operators. Before joining MedCore, he was managing partner of Senior Living Net Operating Impact, an operations consulting company. While there, Burt developed operational turnaround and value-add strategies for distressed senior living portfolios.

MedCore opened its first development, a 90-bed assisted living and memory care community, in June 2018 in Cypress, TX. This year, the group has closed on a $132 million acquisition of a five-asset assisted living and memory care portfolio in Arizona and Utah. Additionally, the group has four developments in design or under construction — two in Houston, one in Georgetown, TX, and one in Norman, OK.

AG Architecture welcomes Andrew Alden as senior associate

Andrew Alden

Andrew Alden has joined Milwaukee-based architectural and engineering firm AG Architecture as a senior associate and senior designer.

He brings more than 20 years of experience and a resume that includes a diverse portfolio of award-winning senior-focused project work.

As part of the AG Design Team, Alden is supporting clients such as Nelson Development on an assisted living and memory care project called GreenHill Village in Cedar Falls, IA.

Creating Results names Vicki Shelton vice president

Vicki Shelton

Vicki Shelton has joined Woodbridge, VA-based marketing and advertising agency Creating Results as vice president of business solutions.

Shelton brings almost 25 years of sales consulting and training, market analysis, new market development and business development in the senior living industry to the company. In her new role, she’ll collaborate with senior living providers and 55+ community builders to understand their awareness, occupancy and revenue needs so that the Creating Results team can develop and implement marketing strategies and tactics to help them reach their goals.

Shelton first entered the senior living industry in 1996, working in sales for Brookdale Senior Living’s Lake Shore Drive location in Chicago. She was promoted to regional sales and marketing director and held similar roles with Five Star Senior Living, Trilogy Health Services and American Senior Communities. She also previously was a national director of sales with Ascension MissionPoint Health Partners. In her most recent position before joining Creating Results, she was a consultant for Senior Source Consulting Group.

United Church Homes CEO named to Catawba College board

Lee Syria

Lee Syria, president  and CEO of United Church Homes and Services, is one of four new members elected to the Catawba College Board of Trustees.

The Salisbury, NC, educational institution is affiliated with the United Church of Christ, through which United Church Homes and Services also was founded.

Syria graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in healthcare management and from Gardner-Webb University with an MBA.

Capital Senior Living board member appointed to iMedia Brands board

Jill Krueger, a member of Capital Senior Living’s board, on which she is chair of the audit committee and a member of the compensation committee, has been named to the board of global interactive media company iMedia Brands. She will be chair of that board’s audit committee as well.

Krueger has been the president and CEO of Symbria, located in Warrenville, IL since it was founded in 1995. The company develops and provides outcome-driven programs designed to enhance the lives of older adults. 

Before joining Symbria, she was a partner at international accounting firm KPMG. Krueger is a certified public accountant and certified management accountant. Her corporate governance experience includes serving as a director on the boards of two publicly traded companies, six privately held for-profit or limited liability companies and three nonprofit organizations.

iMedia Brands’ portfolio includes ShopHQ, iMedia Web Services and the soon-to-be-launched men’s shopping and lifestyle Bulldog Shopping Network and Spanish language LaVenta Shopping Network.

Jeannine Rivet named to Anser Innovation Board of Directors in preparation for Ōmcare launch

Jeannine Rivet

Jeannine Rivet has joined Burnsville, MN-based Anser Innovation’s board in preparation for the launch of Ōmcare, a wholly owned subsidiary.

Ōmcare is a health technology company that partners with providers, pharmacies, payers and family caregivers and uses remote monitoring and interaction in an effort to improve medication adherence and outcomes through its Ōmcare Telemed System. The company recently earned its third patent for its web-enabled, audiovisual, medication-dispensing telemedicine system.

Rivet formerly was executive vice president of UnitedHealth Group. Her previous roles at UnitedHealth Group include CEO of UnitedHealthcare, CEO of Ingenix and CEO of Optum. She currently serves on the boards of Abiomed and Solutran.

Rivet earned a Master’s in Public Health degree from Boston University. She also holds a BSN degree from Boston College and practiced as a registered nurse for several years before entering the managed care industry.

Trident Holdco announces new leadership, new name and ownership

David Velez has been appointed CEO of Sparks, MD-based Trident Holdco.

The company also announced new ownership with secured funding from an equity investor with more than $10 billion in assets under management.

TridentUSA Health Services and its affiliated companies now will operate under the new brand TridentCare, meant to better reflect its position as a national provider of mobile bedside diagnostic services — including X-ray, ultrasound, laboratory, cardiac monitoring, vascular access services, on-site nurse practitioner-based primary care and more — to assisted living and memory care communities and other long-term care facilities as well as rehabilitation hospitals, home care, hospice agencies and correctional facilities.

Velez has been with Trident for more than a decade, most recently as executive vice president and chief operating officer. Before joining Trident, he held a variety of senior executive positions, including COO of Pepsi Cola Brazil; president of Pepsi Cola for Puerto Rico and the Caribbean; regional VP of Cardinal Health; senior VP South America, T&B Group; and regional VP, Aramark.

A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, he served in the U.S. Army from 1977 to 1982, retiring as a captain.

The company has established a dedicated toll-free number, 800-960-1226, that customers, associates, vendors and other interested parties can call for answers to questions regarding the company’s emergence from bankruptcy. Court filings may be accessed at https://dm.epiq11.com/Trident.

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