Movers & Shakers — People and Positions for January

Happy New Year to all from Senior Housing News! With 2014 in full swing—and off to a frigid start—senior living professionals are staying warm by moving up the corporate ladder. Find out more about the latest hirings, promotions, and appointments happening across the industry in the announcements below. 

Are you looking for a new career? Check out senior housing employment opportunities nationwide on SHN’s job board, with Cambridge Realty Capital and Contemporary Healthcare Capital among those hiring. 

Employers: Take advantage of our job board to look for some of the best and brightest in the industry. Post a job on the SHN jobs board for less than $1 per day, and attract local and national candidates through our system that leverages these postings throughout the SimplyHired network. Post a job today.

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Holiday Names Oscar Cardona as Chief HR Officer

Holiday Retirement recently announced the appointment of Oscar Cardona to the role of chief human resources officer.

Cardona started his career in human resources at Cigna in the 1980s, leaving the company as a vice president for human resources in 1998. He then joined NIKE, serving in a variety of executive roles at its headquarters in Beaverton, Ore., and at the company’s EMEA offices in Amsterdam. Cardona returned to the United States to become a senior HR executive for NIKE in 2008.

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Cardona has a J.D. from McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, Calif., and a B.A. in political science from Beloit College in Beloit, Wis. He lives in Oregon with his family and has been active in a variety of civic organizations including the Portland Metropolitan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, his church, and a variety of youth football organizations. Cardona is also on the Board of Trustees for his alma mater, Beloit College.

Tazergy, Inc. Names Larry Kaskel President

Matt Haywood, CEO of Tazergy, Inc., a diverse, low-voltage technology and IT managed services firm concentrating on senior living markets in North America, recently announced the appointment of Larry Kaskel as President.

Kaskel, an industry veteran for several years with Sunrise Senior Living, most recently held the position of Director of Operations at The Retreat and Conference Center at Bon Secours. Under Kaskel’s term at Bon Secours, the conference center experienced its all-time optimum growth and financial status. 

Sanda Cox Named Director of Field Services at Tazergy Inc.

Tazergy Inc. has appointed Sandra Cox as Director of Field Services where she will be responsible for coordinating all subcontractor/vendor relationships with Tazergy customers. 

Cox most recently served as Infrastructure Services Manager/Service Specialist for AGC Networks from 2011-2013, preceded by multiple customer service and account manager and IT support positions with Xeta/Windstream, Comtech Business Phones and Capetronic USA (HK) Inc.

Donna Galluzzo, CEO of HMS, Named Vice-Chair of CBIA’s Board of Directors

Donna Galluzzo, the president and CEO of HMS Healthcare Management Solutions, Inc., has been elected to the Connecticut Business and Industry Association’s board of directors along with three other Connecticut CEOs, James Torgerson, Jr., Rober Sobolewski, and Donald Droppo, Jr.

Prior to founding HMS Healthcare Management Solutions, Inc. in 1996, Galluzzo was the president and CEO of Connecticut VNA, Inc., the largest network of home health agencies in New England. Before that, she was a principal at AccessOne Health System, LLC, a Connecticut state-licensed utilization and case management organization. 

The LaSalle Group Promotes John Barbee to EVP

The LaSalle Group, Inc. has announced the promotion of John Barbee to Executive Vice President – Real Estate. In this capacity, he will lead three divisions of the company as their President: Winfield Design, LLC; MWW Development, LLC; and Lake Superior Contracting, LP.

Barbee joined The LaSalle Group in 2006 as a Project Manager working within the construction division, bringing over 23 years of industry experience. Within two years, Barbee advanced to the role of Vice President of Construction, and in 2012, Barbee’s responsibilities were expanded to also include Vice President of Design and Development.

As Executive Vice President, Barbee will continue to lead these three divisions of The LaSalle Group while also participating as a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, focusing on strategic initiatives for the overall company. Barbee has been instrumental in establishing the unique and successful business model that is in place today and has been an integral part of the growth and future plans for The LaSalle Group.

Timothy Naughton Joins Health Care REIT’s Board of Directors

Health Care REIT, Inc. (NYSE:HCN) announced Dec. 18 that Timothy J. Naughton, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of AvalonBay Communities, Inc. (NYSE:AVB), has been named to its board of directors.

Naughton has more than 20 years of experience in the REIT and commercial real estate sectors. AvalonBay Communities, Inc. is a real estate investment trust with $22 billion in enterprise value focused on developing, redeveloping, acquiring and managing high-quality apartment communities in high barrier-to-entry markets of the United States.

Prior to being named CEO of AvalonBay in January 2012, Naughton served as President for seven years, where he was responsible for the performance and coordination of various activities, including development, redevelopment, construction, acquisitions, dispositions, asset management and property operations. Prior to becoming President, Naughton served AvalonBay in a variety of capacities, including Chief Operating Officer, Chief Investment Officer and Regional Vice President of Development and Acquisitions. He has been with AvalonBay or its predecessors since 1989.

Naughton received his Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Harvard Business School in 1987 and earned his undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of Virginia in 1983, where he graduated with High Distinction and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He is a member of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT), where he serves on the Executive Committee; the Real Estate Round Table; the National Multi-Housing Council, where he serves on the Executive Committee; and the Multifamily Product Council of the Urban Land Institute.

Tim Stuteville Named Associate ED at Querencia at Barton Creek

Querencia at Barton Creek senior living community, a life care resort sponsored by Senior Quality Lifestyles Corporation, has named Tim Stuteville associate executive director.

Stuteville joins the team from Wesleyan at Scenic, Georgetown, Texas, where he was administrator of the 222-bed Medicare skilled nursing facility that also has two memory care units. He has eighteen years experience serving as administrator at communities in both the non-profit and for-profit sectors. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Professions from Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas.

He is a Licensed Texas Nursing Facility Administrator, and he has a Master of Business Administration from University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, Texas.

Grandbridge Real Estate Hires Davis as Seniors Housing & Healthcare Finance Group VP

Grandbridge Real Estate Capital has hired Meredith Davis as a vice president in its Seniors Housing & Healthcare Finance Group based in Birmingham, Ala.

Davis brings more than 15 years of experience in the seniors housing and healthcare finance industry to her new role.

The Birmingham, Ala. native earned a bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in business from Auburn University. She is member of the American Seniors Housing Association and an active participant in the National Investment Center for the Seniors Housing & Care Industry (NIC). Davis has been a featured speaker at numerous seniors housing events including the Senior Care Investor’s audio conference on long-term care initiatives.

Robert Horne Joins REDICO as Senior Vice President – Investments

REDICO, a full-service real estate development and investment company headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, announced recently that Robert D. Horne has joined the company as Senior Vice President – Investments.

Horne has 28 years of experience in commercial development, land development and investment transactions. In this newly created position, he will assist REDICO in expanding its national real estate portfolio in commercial properties. He will also be active in working with REDICO’s affiliate company, American House in the development of its signature senior living communities in select locations throughout the United States.

Joining REDICO from Dodge Capital, LLC in Winnetka, Illinois—a company he founded in 2002—Horne will leverage his vast Midwest real estate network and is establishing REDICO’s first full-time Chicago office in December 2013.

Horne will apply his extensive real estate experience to assist in the execution of REDICO’s strategic acquisition plans while also helping grow the company’s property portfolio in the target areas of the Midwest and Southeast United States. An expert in raising equity, structuring debt and managing all aspects of the development process in retail, office and commercial properties, he will work with Chief Investment Officer Dietrich Knoer.

Prior to founding Dodge Capital Horne served as a Senior Vice President at Jones Lang Lasalle; and Vice President with Arthur Hill & Co. He launched his career in real estate with Homart Development, where he developed both office and retail properties around the country.

Horne earned his M.B.A. from the J.L. Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and a B.A. from Boston College. He is a board member of the Chicago Foundation for Education and the Lurie Children’s Hospital Foundation and is active in many civic and professional organizations in Chicago.

Christine Wise-Vazquez to Head N.Y. Assisted Living Board

Christine K. Wise-Vazquez of Middletown, N.Y. has been elected president of the Empire State Association of Assisted Living, New York’s assisted living trade group. 

Wise-Vazquez is vice president of placement management and marketing development for Elant, a Hudson Valley-based senior housing provider. She has nearly two decades of senior- and executive-level leadership experience.

CarePatrol Franchise Systems Announces Jack Owen as New EVP

CarePatrol Franchise Systems has announced the selection of Jack Owen to join the corporate team in a newly created position as Executive Vice President. CarePatrol provides free senior living placement services that enable seniors and their families to successfully evaluate and select independent living, assisted living, nursing homes, or Dementia and Alzheimer’s memory care communities.

Previously, Owen served as Executive Vice President at Pipeline Success, Inc., the nation’s largest senior care lead generation firm. There, he developed new senior care lines of business as well as dental and medical verticals and managed strategic relationships.

Owen has served in leadership roles of fast growth companies as COO of World Avenue and Managing Director of imc2. He has also held executive roles with large corporations including VP of Global Consulting Services for Merant, and VP of Engineering and Fulfillment for Memorex Telex. With a diverse background in sales, marketing, operations, business development, and experience transforming businesses and growing profits, Owen will continue to enhance the rapid expansion of CarePatrol Franchise Systems nationwide.

Erickson Names Christopher Finley as Director of Nursing at Dallas Community

Highland Springs, the Erickson Living retirement community, announced the hiring of Christopher Finley, RN as its Director of Nursing.

Finley brings eight years of health care experience, ranging from emergency room to intensive care unit work, to the continuing care neighborhood of Highland Springs. Previously, he oversaw the rehabilitation department at Presbyterian Village North.

In his role as Director of Nursing, Finley will be committed to positive outcomes by providing resident-centered health care and fostering a culture of high-quality service excellence to residents and their families. Staff education will also be a major focus.

Finley is certified in ACLS (Adult Cardiovascular Life Support), trained in Pediatric Advanced Life Support and serves as a Healthcare CPR instructor. He also held a certification as an Oncology Certified Nurse.

A resident of Sachse, Texas, he holds a degree in Nursing from El Centro College in Dallas. He is currently working toward a BSN through Southwest Kingston University.

Jones Lang LaSalle Adds Senior Housing Expert as Demand Grows

Jones Lang LaSalle’s Capital Markets recently announced the firm has hired Alan Ursillo as a Senior Vice President specializing in the sale of senior housing properties. Ursillo will work under the direction of Managing Director and leader of the firm’s Healthcare Capital Markets, Mindy Berman.

Over the course of his career, Ursillo served in various sales positions at several national real estate firms and has garnered more than 25 years of sales experience in the senior housing, retail, office and multifamily sectors. During his career, he has sold more than $150 million in assets. He also served as president of Sportscenter Development, a company that built youth sports centers.

He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from United States International University/California Western.

NewYork-Presbyterian Names New Senior VP and COO

Dr. Cam Patterson has been appointed senior vice president and chief operating officer at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, effective January 6, 2014. Dr. Patterson arrives from the University of North Carolina, where he served in multiple leadership roles including physician-in-chief at the UNC Center for Heart and Vascular Care, executive director of the UNC McAllister Heart Institute, chief of the division of cardiology, and associate dean of health care entrepreneurship.

In his new role, Dr. Patterson will be responsible for the strategic direction and management of NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, one of the six campuses of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and an affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College. Dr. Patterson will report to Dr. Laura Forese, group senior vice president and recently named president of the NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System.

After receiving his medical degree from Emory University, Dr. Patterson served as a resident and chief resident in internal medicine at Emory University Hospital. He then completed a research fellowship in cardiovascular biology at the Harvard School of Public Health and a clinical fellowship in cardiology at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston. He also holds a master of business administration from the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler School of Business.

Lancaster Pollard’s Harvey Appointed Chair of MBA Multifamily Council Subcommittee

Lancaster Pollard recently announced that Michelle (Shelly) A. Harvey, vice president and servicing manager, recently has been appointed chairperson of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) Multifamily Council’s FHA Servicers Subcommittee, according to Brian Pollard, senior managing director of the national investment banking, mortgage banking and investment advisory firm headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Her term of service is for one year.

The MBA is the national association representing the real estate finance industry. In addition to promoting the nation’s residential and commercial real estate markets and expanding home ownership, it works to extend access to affordable housing to all Americans.

Harvey has led the mortgage servicing department for Lancaster Pollard’s portfolio of construction and permanent loans since 2001. In that capacity, she has been instrumental in the growth and development of the mortgage servicing department by authoring policy and procedure, implementing a sound operating infrastructure, focusing on long-range and strategic planning, implementing advancements in technology and practicing risk mitigation. She has served on the MBA’s Multifamily Council’s FHA Servicing Subcommittee for the past 10 years.

Stuart Lodge Appoints Randy Kelly as Executive Director

Randy Kelly has been named the executive director of Stuart Lodge, a senior living community coming soon to Stuart, Fla. Kelly, who has more than 20 years of senior living management experience, will directly oversee Stuart Lodge’s daily operations after its expected Spring 2014 opening.