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Capital Senior Living names Brandon Ribar chief operating officer
Brandon M. Ribar has been named chief operating officer of Dallas-based Capital Senior Living.
Ribar comes to the company after having spent almost 10 years at Golden Living, where he most recently was senior vice president, operations, and also formerly was senior vice president, operational finance and strategy, and senior vice president, corporate strategy and business development.
Earlier in his career, Ribar was vice president of healthcare investments for real estate private equity firm Fillmore Capital Partners.
He earned an undergraduate degree in operations management information systems from Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA.
Welltower names Justin Skiver global head of seniors housing
Justin Skiver has been named senior vice president, global head of seniors housing, at Toledo, OH-based real estate investment trust Welltower.
Skiver has been with the REIT since 2009 and most recently was SVP, international, having relocated to lead the London office in 2018. Previously, he was SVP, underwriting. Prior to becoming an SVP, Skiver was VP, corporate investments.
Ecumen names Morshed Alam senior vice president, chief financial officer
Morshed “Mo” Alam has been named senior vice president and chief financial officer at Shoreview, MN-based Ecumen, effective Sept. 30. He will report to President and CEO Shelley Kendrick and lead Ecumen’s team of financial services professionals across the company.
Alam joins the company with financial leadership experience in technology, healthcare and medical device manufacturing. Previously, he was the director of finance and financial planning and analysis for Medtronic’s global Restorative Therapies Group. In this role, he led all financial planning processes, including strategic planning for this business group, with annual revenues of more than $8 billion.
Before Medtronic, Alam was the director of finance for Plymouth, MN-based Solera Holding, managing a team in the United States and the United Kingdom. Earlier in his career, he served in various financial leadership roles at Thomson Reuters for 10 years.
Alam earned an undergraduate degree in accounting from Winona State University and an MBA in finance and strategy from the University of Minnesota.
Franke Tobey Jones announces CEO and COO
Judy Dunn is the new CEO of Franke Tobey Jones, a 95-year-old continuing care retirement community serving approximately 200 residents in Tacoma, WA. She had been serving as interim CEO for the past year.
Franke Tobey Jones also decided to make the role of chief operating officer permanent and keep Bob Beckham in that role, in which he has served in since last fall.
Dunn has more than 25 years of accounting and not-for-profit management experience. In addition to accounting and administration, she manages the information technology and support services functions.
The CEO earned her undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of Wisconsin.
Beckman has more than 15 years of experience in operations management and leadership. Formerly, he was the vice president of operations for in-home care and care management services company Sound Options for six years before joining Franke Tobey Jones.
He also previously worked 11 years for a 250-bed Phase 1 clinical research unit, managing laboratory and clinical operations, and prior to that, worked for the University of Washington and VA Hospital coordinating Alzheimer’s research.
Beckman earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Portland.
Frontline Management names Mohammed Yacoubi chief investment officer
Mohammed Yacoubi has been named chief investment officer at Lafayette, CO-based Frontline Management. He is responsible for implementing short-term and long-term investment policies, leading acquisitions and asset management and developing and maintaining positive investor relations.
Yacoubi brings to the role more than 18 years of real estate and private equity experience across different sectors and risk profiles. Before joining Frontline Management, he founded a boutique investment and advisory firm for small to mid-sized projects across multiple sectors. Before that, he spent five years working under the Qatar Investment Authority umbrella and prior to that worked for a boutique owner-operator in Southern California.
Yacoubi has an MBA, with a focus in finance, from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.
Established in 2004, Frontline Management owns, and operates and / or manages, a growing portfolio of senior housing and care facilities across all licensure categories, including independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing and home health. The company operates in multiple states and has several projects under development.
Covia promotes Chris Ichien to vice president of life plan operations
Christopher Ichien has been promoted to vice president of life plan operations for Covia, a non-profit senior living organization based in Walnut Creek, CA. In his new role, he will supervise and support the executive directors of Covia’s five life plan communities throughout Northern California.
Ichien joined Covia in 2007 as the assistant executive director of St. Paul’s Towers, a life plan community in Oakland, CA. In 2008, he was promoted to executive director of St. Paul’s Towers and then named executive director of Los Gatos Meadows at the end of 2014. He became regional vice president for Covia in May 2018.
Brookdale CEO Lucinda ‘Cindy’ Baier named a ‘most admired’ CEO
Brookdale Senior Living CEO Lucinda “Cindy” Baier has been named to the Nashville Business Journal’s 2019 list of Most Admired CEOs. In the annual awards program, Baier was selected for the honor in the public companies category.
“I am honored to receive this recognition, which reflects the dedication of Brookdale’s 60,000 associates,” she said in a statement. Brookdale is the largest senior living company in the country, with approximately 800 senior living communities, and also is one of the country’s largest home health and hospice providers.
Baier has been president and CEO and a member of the Brookdale Board of Directors since February 2018. She joined the Brentwood, TN-based organization in December 2015 as chief financial officer. Immediately before joining Brookdale, Baier had been executive vice president and CFO of Navigant Consulting, a specialized global expert services firm, since 2013.
Baier is a member of the boards of the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care, the American Seniors Housing Association and the Nashville Health Care Council, where she chairs the finance and investment committee. She is a certified public accountant and a graduate of Illinois State University, with undergraduate and master’s degrees in accounting.
Pathway to Living hires Julie Ackley as memory support director
Julie Ackley has been hired by Chicago-based developer, owner and operator Pathway to Living as director of its A Knew Day memory support program.
She will oversee the program across the company’s entire senior housing portfolio, which includes 32 properties in Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Ackley has 18 years of experience in long-term care and acute care. She previously was a customer relationship manager for iN2L.
Atlas Senior Living names Robin Raben executive director of Legacy Reserve at Old Town
Robin Raben has been named executive director for Legacy Reserve at Old Town, an Atlas Senior Living retirement community set to open in September 2020 in Columbus, GA. She will be responsible for the day-to-day operations and overall management of the community.
Raben has been working in the healthcare industry since 2000, with managing roles in senior living such as regional director and executive director.
Wellington at Hershey’s Mill names Ashleigh Ryan director of nursing
Ashleigh Ryan has been named director of nursing at Wellington at Hershey’s Mill, a Benchmark retirement community offering independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing and rehabilitation services in West Chester, PA. In her new position, Ryan will oversee the nursing personnel and patient / resident care, as well as administrative tasks such as recordkeeping and budgeting.
Ryan joins Wellington after working as a wellness manager. Before that role, she was the director of nursing for seven years at Genesis Healthcare.
She earned an undergraduate degree in psychology from Mount St. Mary’s University and a nursing degree from Ocean County College, Toms River, NJ.
United Zion Retirement Community announces Troy Dennis as new director of environmental services
Troy Dennis has been named director of environmental services at United Zion Retirement Community, a life plan community in Lititz, PA. He will lead the maintenance and housekeeping team, ensure the facility’s safety and support renovation projects.
Dennis has spent the past nine years working in long-term care facilities, most recently at Wyomissing Rehabilitation and Nursing Center and Countryside Christian Community. Before that, he worked in construction.
Watermark at Trinity hires two new directors
David Kendrick and Merav Halevi have been hired as associate engagement director and resident engagement director, respectively, at The Watermark at Trinity, a Watermark Retirement Communities assisted living and memory care community in Trinity, FL. The positions are new additions to the community.
In his role as associate engagement director, Kendrick will develop programs to recognize employee achievements, promote wellness and improve overall engagement to create a positive workplace. He has 17 years of experience in healthcare human resources leadership, most recently serving as director of human resources for MHC Gracepoint Behavioral Health.
Halevi, as resident engagement director, will spend her time at the forthcoming independent living community, working closely with the executive director to oversee resident engagement and satisfaction and manage key aspects of day-to-day operations, including community life, programs and events, transportation, concierge and more. She has 17 years of experience in human resources, coaching and business management and previous was the human resource director and business office manager for The Watermark at Trinity.
Construction on the new independent living community is underway, and it is expected to open later this year.
GreenFields of Geneva names life enrichment manager, Karen Tomko
Karen Tomko has been named life enrichment manager at GreenFields of Geneva, a Friendship Senior Options retirement community in Geneva, IL.
Tomko will succeed the current manager, Emily Abrahamson, who is leaving next month to have her first child.
Tomko is new to GreenFields but not to the neighborhood, nor to senior living. “We have lived in the Mill Creek subdivision in which GreenFields is located for 14 years,” she said. “We remember watching GreenFields go up. Through the years, our three kids have been here for choir concerts, scouting events and more.”
Tomko is a former teacher and special education job coach who started working in senior living several years ago.
Sedgebrook names Bill Schneider community resources director
Bill Schneider has joined Sedgebrook, a senior living community in Lincolnshire, IL, as community resources director. He is a long-time colleague of the community’s executive director, Dan Harrington.
Schneider has eight years of experience in sales in senior living. In his new role, he will work to increase the programming developed around the residents’ interests, hobbies and preferences. He also intends that the community will offer something for everyone.
East Ridge at Cutler Bay welcomes new executive chef
Stan Hodes has been named executive chef for East Ridge at Cutler Bay, a SantaFe Senior Living life plan community in Cutler Bay, FL, offering independent living, assisted living, memory support and skilled nursing.
Hodes previously was executive chef and manager of dining services operations at Baptist Hospital of Miami, a position he held for 27 years. He also formerly worked as an executive sous chef with Marriott Hotels at the Orlando World Center, Biscayne Bay Marriott and the Casa Magna Resort in Cancun, Mexico. He also has been the sous chef at Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Marriott Inflight division and Chef of Kings Bay Country Club.
Educated in Mallorca, Spain, Hodes earned an undergraduate degree in culinary arts and hotel management from Bournemouth College of Technology in England.
AMDA’s Christopher Laxton named to Baldrige judging panel
Christopher E. Laxton, CAE, executive director of AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine, has been named to a three-year term on the panel of judges for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s highest honor for organizational innovation and performance excellence. The appointment was announced by the Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Laxton is a career healthcare association professional with more than 35 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, governance and operations. In addition to his role at AMDA, he is chair of the Board of Directors of the Advancing Excellence in Long-Term Care Coalition and board treasurer of the Center for Excellence in Assisted Living. He also represents AMDA on several national coalitions, including the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations and the Dementia Friendly America National Council.
Laxton has been a national Baldrige examiner since 2008.
Named after Malcolm Baldrige, the 26th secretary of commerce, the Baldrige Award was established by Congress in 1987. Awards may be given annually to organizations in each of six categories: manufacturing, service, small business, education, healthcare and nonprofit. The award is designed to promote innovation and excellence in organizational performance, recognize the achievements and results of U.S. organizations, and publicize successful performance strategies. Since the first group was recognized in 1988, 124 awards have been presented to 115 organizations (including eight repeat recipients).
Jefferson’s Ferry board welcomes new chair, two new members
Vivian Viloria-Fisher has been named chair of the Board of Directors at Jefferson’s Ferry, a not-for-profit life plan community in South Setauket, NY. She previously was vice chair of the board.
George Rice, who has served as the board chair since 1997, has stepped down from the post but will continue as a trustee of the board.
Viloria-Fisher, a former three-term Suffolk County legislator who was the deputy presiding officer of the 5th Electoral District, joined the Jefferson’s Ferry Board of Directors in 2012 after she left public service. She was named vice chair in February 2014 and was recognized as Trustee of the Year by LeadingAge New York in 2017.
Also, Debra Engelhardt and Kim Kubasek have joined the Jefferson’s Ferry Board of Directors.
Engelhardt is director of the Comsewogue Library in Port Jefferson Station, NY, and Kubasek is an associate executive director at Developmental Disabilities Institute in Smithtown, NY.
Truist Bank announces senior care changes
Truist Bank, the combined company to be created through SunTrust and BB&T’s proposed merger, has announced a leadership update for its senior care industry vertical.
Evelyn Lee, head of senior care Finance at SunTrust Bank, will become the regional president for Greater Washington for Truist Bank.
Tad Pierce, healthcare and institutions group Leader at BB&T Capital Markets, will become the senior care industry vertical lead for Truist Bank. In this role, he will be responsible for leading a team of geographically distributed bankers and executing continuing care retirement community, assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing client relationships regionally and nationally.
Dwayne Angelo, executive vice president and a geography credit risk manager at SunTrust Bank dedicated to the healthcare and senior care industry verticals, will become a credit risk manager supporting senior care for Truist Bank.
Until the proposed merger closes, BB&T and SunTrust will operate as separate, individual companies and Lee, Pierce and Angelo will serve in their current roles.
Cushman & Wakefield adds Jay Jordan to senior housing team
Jay Jordan has joined Cushman & Wakefield’s senior housing capital markets team. Based in Tampa, FL, the team focuses on the sale of assets throughout the country.
Jordan will assist with the origination and execution of senior housing sales in addition to providing debt advisory and capital solutions to clients in need of structured financing.
Most recently, Jordan worked for Directed Capital, a boutique private equity firm based in St. Petersburg, FL, where he focused on distressed note acquisitions and loan originations secured by senior living assets. Prior to that role, he was a relationship manager with KeyBank Real Estate Capital’s Healthcare Group, one of the nation’s largest lenders to the senior housing and healthcare industry. There, he negotiated and underwrote corporate and project-level real estate financing for assets throughout the United States.
Jordan holds an undergraduate degree in industrial and labor relations from Cornell University.
CBRE names James Graber seniors housing leader
James Graber has been promoted at Los Angeles-based CBRE to national leader of seniors housing and healthcare for valuation and advisory services.
A managing director, he will lead a national team focused on valuation and advisory services for senior housing assets, including active adult, independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing and continuing care retirement communities.
Graber has more than 13 years of experience within the senior housing and healthcare industry. Before joining CBRE, he was a managing director at Salus Valuation Group, which has since been acquired by Newmark Knight Frank. Before that, he was a senior appraiser with Aucamp, Dellenback and Whitney, a commercial real estate valuation firm in the South Florida market, working on a wide array of properties, including healthcare, multifamily, office, special use and industrial.
He has an undergraduate degree in business administration from Kansas State University.
Send personnel news to Editor Lois A. Bowers. Please include a high-quality color photo.
