Pennsylvania senior living and care providers Allegheny Lutheran Social Ministries, Garden Spot Communities and Liberty Lutheran Services will affiliate under the umbrella of a new parent company named Ilumin, the organizations announced Wednesday.
“Each of our organizations was in strong financial health, enjoyed an excellent reputation in our individual communities and had been seeking an opportunity to affiliate with the right partners,” said Patricia Savage, Ph.D., CEO of ALSM. Through conversations, she added, “it became abundantly clear to us that we shared so much in common that affiliating made very good sense.”
The affiliation, which was approved unanimously by the boards of all three organizations, also must be approved by regulators, which the three organizations expect to happen by spring. Each company will keep its current name, identity and staff but will operate as one larger organization with shared resources, administration and best practices, Ilumin said.
The combined organization, according to Ilumin, will rank among the 50 largest not-for-profit long-term care organizations in the country. It will have almost $140 million in revenue, employ almost 2,000 workers and operate more than 2,000 units on nine campuses as well as through a variety of community-based, intergenerational services. Altogether, more than 40,000 people will be served across 28 counties in Pennsylvania.
Steve Lindsey, current CEO of Garden Spot Communities, will lead the executive team. Savage and Luanne Fisher, Ph.D., CEO of Liberty Lutheran, plan to step down once the affiliation becomes official, but they expect to continue to serve in the not-for-profit arena.
“Ilumin’s new tagline is Life With Purpose,” Lindsey said in a statement. “We will create an authentic community for our employees and those we serve, unified by a shared belief that purpose brings meaning to life. Our Lutheran and Mennonite values emphasize faith in action through serving others, and Ilumin will be the embodiment of that.”The new parent company will be headquartered at Garden Spot Communities in New Holland, PA. Liberty Lutheran and ALSM will continue to maintain corporate offices in Ambler, PA, and Altoona, PA, respectively.
