Christian Village Communities President and CEO Larry Dean Monroe retires
Larry Dean Monroe will be retiring as president and CEO of Cincinnati-based Christian Village Communities effective Dec 27. Chief Financial Officer Vickie Brashear, who has been CFO for 10 years, will succeed him.
Monroe has served as CEO at CVC for 12 years. During that time, he has guided the organization into almost $50 million dollars in capital investments and updates at its two life plan communities, Christian Village at Mason and the Christian Village at Mt. Healthy. Those projects have includes rehab centers, a memory care center, a nursing floor with private rooms, a worship center and auditorium, an outdoor pavilion, a clubhouse and an independent living expansion.
Monroe also has been a board member for LeadingAge Ohio. After his retirement, he will continue his work at CVC throughout 2025 in an independent role, able to assist with specific initiatives and with the new CEO as requested.
“Under his leadership, CVC experienced a period of unprecedented outcomes,” CVC Board Chair Harry Snyder said about Monroe. “These achievements, plus his focus on developing leaders within the organization positions CVC for continued success in the years to come.”
St. John’s announces retirement of President and CEO Charlie Runyon
Charlie Runyon will retire from his position of president and CEO of Rochester, NY-based St. John’s in February. St. John’s chief financial officer, Robert Earl, will succeed him and will begin to assume transitional duties throughout the rest of this year.
Runyon began serving as CEO in 2001 after having started at St. John’s in 1993. During his tenure, St. John’s experienced its greatest period of growth, adding St. John’s Meadows in 1996, Penfield Green House Homes in 2011, and Brickstone by St. John’s in 2014. Recent innovations such as the development of a new dementia resource center and a strategic partnership with University of Rochester Medical Center are other highlights of his tenure.
Earl joined St. John’s in 2012 as controller, and he previously managed finances for the Monroe County Department of Health and Human Services. Prior to his role at the county, Earl worked in the manufacturing sector, with finance roles at Nalge Nunc International and Dresser-Rand.
United Methodist Communities appoints E. James Roberts II VP
E. James Roberts II has been hired as vice president of the foundation for Neptune, NJ-based United Methodist Communities.
Roberts has more than 30 years of leadership experience in nonprofit management, previously working as a consultant at The Robert Consulting Group and as the executive director of various foundations in New Jersey.
Roberts received a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from Moravian College in Pennsylvania.
Kendal names Craig Witz interim VP
Craig Witz has been appointed as the interim vice president of the development and operations resource group at Newark, DE-based The Kendal Corp.
Witz previously founded Witz Co., a planning and development project management adviser for senior living providers. He currently leads the collaborative Intergenerational Task Force of SAGE, AIA DFA and the Center for Health Design, and he is a recurring speaker at LeadingAge and other industry events.
Hebrew SeniorLife announces Richard J. Henken as board chair
Richard J. Henken has been named chair of Boston-based Hebrew SeniorLife’s board of directors, succeeding Melissa Bayer Tearney after her three-year tenure.
Henken has volunteered at Hebrew SeniorLife for 15 years, previously serving on its board and as chair of its senior living committee.
He received a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in economics from Tufts University in Medford, MA, and previously was president of Schochet Companies.
Terraces at Peachtree Hills Place appoints Hayden Herrick executive director
Hayden Herrick has been announced as executive director of assisted living and memory care at The Terraces at Peachtree Hills Place, an Isakson Living life plan community in Atlanta. Herrick will work with interim executive director Greg Heath to ensure a smooth transition.
Herrick previously worked as a human resources generalist and as assistant director of rehabilitation in the skilled nursing facility at Peachtree Hills Place.
He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise science from Life University in Georgia.
2Life Communities appoints Andrew Goshert as deputy chief of Nahanton Campus
Andrew Goshert has been named deputy chief of 2Life Communities’ Nahanton Campus in Newton, MA.
Goshert previously worked as a senior executive director for LCB Senior Living, and he won its Exemplary Leadership Award in 2023. Before that, he was director of continuing care at Brooksby Village, an Erickson Senior Living-managed community in Peabody, MA.
In 2025, Goshert will lead the official opening of Opus Newton, a prototype of apartments for older adults with moderate incomes that 2Life hopes will put senior living within reach for more older adults.
Goshert has a Bachelor of Science degree in health policy and administration from Pennsylvania State University and an MBA from Boston University’s Questrom School of Business.
Buckner Retirement Services names Alyssa Adam senior director of sales
Alyssa Adam has been hired as senior director of sales at Dallas-based Buckner Retirement Services.
Adam has 14 years of experience in senior living marketing and sales and previously worked as chief marketing officer at The Legacy Senior Communities.
Adam has a bachelor’s degree in advertising and journalism from the University of Kansas and is working toward an MBA at DeVry University’s Keller Graduate School of Management.
Residence at Village Greens hires 3
Jenn Fick, Tina Boyer and Dan Walter have joined the leadership team at The Residence at Village Greens, Sinking Spring, PA, as the IntegraCare-operated senior living community prepares for its grand opening this summer.
Fick is the director of independent living operations, Boyer is the administrative services director and Walter is the safety and maintenance engineer.
Fick attended nursing school and began working in senior living in 1988. She has experience as a nursing assistant and as a nurse in memory care communities and skilled nursing facilities. She and her husband owned and operated a local hearing aid business from 1996 until earlier this year.
Boyer brings more than 16 years of experience in senior living and care to her new role, having served as a business office manager at another local long-term care property.
Walter retired from teaching before the COVID-19 pandemic. After a brief tenure at UPS, he joined IntegraCare-operated Exton Senior Living, Exton, PA, more than a year ago as safety and maintenance engineer.
Edgemere hires new culinary director and sales counselor
Ryan Bixler has been hired as culinary director, and Leslie Doran Sparciano has been hired as sales counselor, at Edgemere, a continuing care retirement community in Dallas.
Bixler has more than 15 years of experience in healthcare and senior living and has more than 30 years of catering, restaurant and hotel management experience.
Sparciano has a bachelor’s degree in education from Florida State University and an MBA from Texas Women’s University.
Welltower appoints Andrew Gundlach to board
Andrew Gundlach has been appointed to the board of Toledo, OH-based real estate investment trust Welltower as an independent director.
Gundlach has almost 30 years of investment experience and is the president and co-CEO of Bleichroeder LP, a registered investment adviser serving ultra-high-net-worth families. He has familiarity with both public and private markets, with a particular expertise in corporate strategy and capital markets, according to Welltower.
Gundlach has been on the board of First Eagle Investment Management since 2004. Bleichroeder was spun out from First Eagle after funds controlled by Blackstone and Corsair bought majority control in 2015, a transaction initiated by Gundlach.
Earlier in his career, he held roles in the corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions departments at Morgan Stanley and J.P. Morgan.
Gundlach holds a Bachelor of Science degree in international relations and affairs, a Master of Science from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and an MBA from Columbia Business School.
He has been an adjunct professor teaching about investing at the Heilbrunn Center for Graham & Dodd Investing at Columbia Business School since 2004. He is a member of the Columbia Business School Board, a trustee of the Guggenheim Museum and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, where he serves on the Investment Committee.
Jewish Home Family announces new board leaders, members
Jay Nadel is the new board chair for the Jewish Home Family, succeeding Peter Martin, who completed a three-year term.
Ellen Sokoloff has been named the new chair of the Jewish Home at Rockleigh board, succeeding Lisa Mactas, who served a three-year term.
Howard Chernin continues as the chair of the Jewish Home Foundation board, and Maggie Kaplen remains as chair of Jewish Home Assisted Living.
New board members include Marc Arginteau, MD, and Mark Rottenberg, both of whom have joined the Jewish Home Family board. Craig Besnoy is new to the board of the Jewish Home at Rockleigh, and Robin Brill and Steven Leibowitz, MD, have joined the Jewish Home Foundation board.
Former Brookdale executive named to Enhabit board
Mark Ohlendorf, a former executive of Brookdale Senior Living, has been named to the board of home health company Enhabit along with eight others. Ohlendorf’s candidacy was put forth by AREX Capital Management, the owners of approximately 4.9% of the shares of Enhabit.
Ohlendorf was Brookdale’s chief financial officer from 2007 to 2015. He also served in other leadership roles, including president and chief operating officer, for the company and a predecessor company. Most recently, he was the managing member of Four Peaks Advisors, a consulting practice focused on post-acute healthcare and related businesses, from 2016 to 2023. His career also includes time as vice president and CFO for VITAS Healthcare Corp., a hospice and palliative care provider, from 1990 to 1997.
AREX put forth a slate of seven candidates that also included Anna-Gene O’Neal, who joined Brookdale in June 2019 as division vice president – Brookdale Health Care Services Hospice and two months later was named president of Brookdale’s Health Care Services division, a majority stake in which was sold to HCA Healthcare in early 2021. Ohlendorf was the only person from the AREX slate to win a seat on the board.
LeadingAge Southeast announces 5 new board members
Five new members have been elected to the LeadingAge Southeast Board of Trustees:
- Brad Bodie is the executive director at Abbey Delray South, Delray Beach, FL.
- Kendall Bryan is the executive director at Vicar’s Landing, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.
- Scott Crabtree is the president and CEO of Lambeth House, New Orleans, LA.
- Troy Churchill is the president and CEO of Cypress Living, Fort Myers, FL.
- Susan George is the executive director at The Edgewater at Boca Pointe, Boca Raton, FL.
LeadingAge Southeast serves providers across the continuum of care in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi.
LeadingAge Southeast bestows awards
LeadingAge Southeast hosted its 61st Annual Convention and Exposition in Orlando, FL, awarding organizations and individuals who have contributed to aging services.
Awards winners:
- Barie Hamilton of Traceway Retirement Community in Tupelo, MS, was named Caregiver of the Year.
- Minilik Belay of John Knox Village of Florida in Pompano Beach, FL, was named Emerging Leader.
- Louvenia Morgan of Poydras Home in New Orleans was named Employee of the Year.
- Pan Petsopoulos of Solaris Healthcare in Florida was named Executive of the Year.
- Elvis Burrows and Patrick Tramontana from The Mayflower in Winter Park, FL, received the Innovation Award.
- Patricia Walker of Robert Sharp Towers II in Miami was named Service Coordinator of the Year.
- Helga Howard from Air Force Enlisted Village in Shalimar, FL, was named Volunteer of the Year.
Marquis Who’s Who recognizes Gregory Sever
Gregory M. Sever, vice president of culinary experiences at Denver-based Experience Senior Living, has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who’s Who for excellence in the food service industry.
Server has a 30-year career in the culinary arts, previously working in fine dining, country clubs and ski resorts before transitioning to senior living. Prior to his current role, he was the senior executive chef at Balfour Senior Living from 2019 to 2022. Before that, from 2014 to 2019, he was the executive chef at MorningStar Senior Living.
Server has been actively involved with the Rocky Mountain Chefs of Colorado since 2014 and has won multiple medals from the American Culinary Federation and in 2022 won a Minor Chef Professionalism Award.
CareWork reorganizes senior leadership
Bill Flanagan, co-founder of CareWork, has been promoted to CEO. Previously, he was chief technology officer. Co-founder and former CEO Jackie Ramieri now will serve as product adviser and board member.
Additionally, Ralph Labarta has joined CareWork’s board as an adviser for strategy and innovation.
CareWork is an SaaS that works in advanced analytics and workflow automation systems for senior living and long-term care. The company was founded in 2020.
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