Clifton J. “Clif” Porter II officially became president and CEO of the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living on Monday, succeeding Mark Parkinson, who had served in the role since January 2011.
Parkinson had publicly shared in February that he planned to step down, and Porter was announced as Parkinson’s planned successor in July. AHCA/NCAL previously said that Porter’s new appointment would be effective in the fall and would start in early 2025.
“I am excited and ready,” Porter said Monday in a statement. “Following Hurricanes Helene and Milton, these past few weeks have been trying for our profession, but they’ve also been inspiring. Heroic caregivers are working day in and day out to continue to protect and care for their residents, and the entire profession has rallied around them to show our support. It’s a humbling reminder of the importance of what we do and the power of staying united. I begin this new role emboldened by the dedication of our caregivers and resolute in helping our entire profession move forward together.”
Hurricane Milton truncated Delivering Solutions 24, the association’s annual meeting in Orlando, FL, which was to be Parkinson’s formal send-off and Porter’s formal welcome to the top leadership role. NCAL Day went on as planned Oct. 6, and Parkinson and Porter made appearances at the luncheon there, informally talking to some attendees but not making speeches. By that time, however, the larger meeting planned for Oct. 7 to 9 had been scrapped due to dire weather forecasts.
In a LinkedIn post at the end of last week, Parkinson described his time at the helm of the association as “incredible.”
“I know it sounds cliché, but it really is hard to believe that 14 years have passed by,” he wrote. “The time has gone fast because I’ve loved the job. I’ve loved it because of you.” The work of those in the industry, he said, “gave my life an important purpose.”
The long-term care sector, Parkinson assessed, “is in good shape.” “The demographics really are on our side,” he said. “Millions more will need to live in our assisted living communities and skilled nursing facilities.”
Parkinson called Porter “the right person at the right time” to lead AHCA/NCAL.
“As a former administrator, he cares about our residents and employees in the same way that you do. More important, he is the consummate DC lobbyist,” he said. “He is loved by both sides of the aisle. He and you are going to do great things.”
Monday, Porter said that as president and CEO, he aims to advance AHCA/NCAL’s mission through a “common-sense policy agenda” that includes “working with Congress and the Administration on more productive workforce solutions, given the nation’s growing caregiver shortage.”
“Preparing for our aging population should be our collective, primary focus,” he said. “We will continue to urge policymakers to prioritize and invest in long-term care residents and their caregivers. With the proper support, the future is bright for our nation’s seniors and those who serve them.”
Porter previously told McKnight’s Senior Living that a benefit that assisted living operators have from NCAL and its connection with AHCA, which advocates for nursing home providers, is “a really good wall of protection.” Assisted living primarily is regulated at the state level, whereas nursing homes primarily are regulated at the federal level.
“We obviously understand what a regulated world looks like, and we can obviously advocate in that kind of environment and, ideally, protect our members from being, particularly, regulated at federal level,” Porter said.
He noted the increasing demand for assisted living, with a demand curve that has “grown faster than I thought it would,” and he encouraged assisted living providers to continue “examining markets where there are needs,” including the middle market.
Parkinson previously told McKnight’s Senior Living that in retirement, he is planning to travel, including taking a trip to India with his wife, Stacy, and spend “a lot more” time with his and Stacy’s three adult children and their families, including two grandchildren.
“I do plan to continue staying in the sector,” he said, adding that he will remain in the Washington, DC, area, where his offspring are or will be located.
