Movers & Shakers: Promotions at Welltower

Welltower Announces Promotions

Welltower Inc. (NYSE: HCN) announced the promotion of Matthew McQueen from senior vice president of legal to senior vice president of general counsel and corporate secretary, as well as the promotion of Mercedes Kerr to executive vice president of business development.

Before joining Welltower in April 2015, McQueen served as a partner of the corporate and securities group at Sidley Austin LLP in Chicago, where he spent 11 years. He worked extensively in mergers and acquisitions both globally and nationally for public and private companies in transactions up to billions of dollars. He also represented Welltower in several transactions, including the real estate investment trust’s (REIT) acquisition of Genesis HealthCare, Sunrise Senior Living and HealthLease, along with several joint ventures.

“Matt has a deep knowledge of Welltower and thorough understanding of the company’s business from his time working for and advising the company,” Welltower COO Jeffrey Miller said in a news release. “Since Matt joined Welltower last year, he has proven to be an important legal advisor and has been involved with the company’s transactions, debt and equity offerings, board of directors and governance matters. His expanded role is a product of these efforts and his strong leadership.”

As executive vice president of business development, Kerr will lead business development activities to identify, build and manage relationships with health systems, seniors housing operators, real estate developers and financial institutions to grow Welltower’s health care property portfolio. With her promotion, she joins the REIT’s senior leadership team.

Before joining Welltower in 2008, Kerr served as vice president of acquisitions at HCP, Inc. (NYSE: HCP), and prior to that as a member of the consulting division of Ernst & Young LLP, previously known as E&Y Kenneth Leventhal.

“Mercedes has established strong and enduring partnerships across our industry, is a well-recognized health care real estate professional and is working to advance the company’s strategy to promote innovative care delivery models designed to improve people’s wellness,” Welltower CEO Thomas J. DeRosa said in a news release. “This promotion recognizes Mercedes’ outstanding leadership of our business development efforts to date and her success in expanding our relationship-based investment platform.”

Lantern Hill Hires Fitness Coordinator

Lantern Hill, a new Erickson Living continuing care retirement community (CCRC) located in New Providence, New Jersey, hired Christopher Hynson as its fitness coordinator.

In the role, Hynson will oversee the daily activities at Lantern Hill’s fitness center and pool. He will work closely with the resident services director to establish resident fitness programs, perform resident orientations and assessments, and complete other administrative and operational duties associated with the fitness center and pool.

Hanson brings nine years of experience in the fitness industry to his new position, including time spent as a fitness and operations manager at a local health club outside of Baltimore, Maryland. There, he worked with an array of clients, including senior citizens.

“Chris fits in perfectly with our resident-focused team at Lantern Hill,” Executive Director Patricia Swan said in a news release. “His wealth of experience in the fitness industry will be of great benefit to our community of active and engaged seniors.”

Ascent Living Communities Selects Leadership Team at Belmar Senior Living

Ascent Senior Living selected Bonnie Bachman as executive director and Susan Walker as manager of operations and marketing to round out the leadership team at Village at Belmar, a community under construction in Lakewood, Colorado.

Bachman comes to the executive director role with 12 years of experience in senior living at facilities in Denver and Front Range. She is a certified assisted living administrator in the state of Colorado.

“I’m so elated to be able to shape the culture and oversee the operations of this amazing community, which integrates intentional design, advanced technology and collaborative partnerships,” Bachman said in a news release.

Likewise, Walker brings strong experience in the senior living space, having worked in community marketing in the Front Range area.

Ascent Living Communities is a senior living developer, owner and operator with a geographic focus spanning from Denver to the West Coast. The Village at Belmar is located on a nine-acre property and consists of 60 independent living flats, 72 assisted living suites and 24 memory care units.

The Legacy Senior Communities Welcomes Home Health Administrator

The Legacy Senior Communities welcomed Charlene Bishop as administrator of The Legacy at Home, a not-for-profit home health provider in Dallas that provides comprehensive Medicare-certified in-home health care, private duty nursing and personal assistance with daily living.

Bishop has spent the last 11 years working with seniors, and her previous roles focused on improving patient care, building relationships and ensuring quality measures are met. As administrator at The Legacy at Home, Bishop will be responsible for handling day-to-day activities at the agency, fostering a successful team environment and maintaining patient and client satisfaction. She will also be tasked with community outreach and education.

“Charlene is the perfect person to lead the team at The Legacy at Home, and we look forward to watching her take the agency to the next level,” Brian Barnes, CFO/COO of The Legacy Senior Communities, said in a news release. “Her passion and dedication to others is an inspiration to those around her every day, and we’re excited to see how her experience and compassion will help the seniors we serve in Greater Dallas.”

The Legacy Senior Communities is the parent company of The Legacy at Home; The Legacy Willow Bend, which is a life care retirement community in Plano, Texas; and The Legacy Midtown Park, a nonprofit rental CCRC coming to Dallas in 2019.

Roland Park Place Appoints New Director of Dining Services

Roland Park Place, a CCRC in Baltimore, appointed Merrill Cohen as its new director of dining services.

Cohen joins the staff at Roland Park Place with more than 25 years of hospitality experience. He previously worked at Edenwald Retirement Community in Towson, Maryland, and is also a United States Marine Corps veteran.

“Merrill Cohen brings a health measure of innovation balanced with attention to the fundamentals essential for outstanding customer service and a mindful approach to budgeting, too,” Roland Park Place President Terry Snyder said in a news release. “We’re pleased to welcome him.”

Roland Park Place is a full-service, not-for-profit CCRC offering independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing.

Written by Kourtney Liepelt