Movers and Shakers: People and Positions for Week of July 23, 2010

Curious about announcements, what parts of the industry are growing and where are people getting new jobs?  Check out this week’s movers and shakers…

Barksdale Named CEO at Friendship Retirement Community

Friendship Retirement Community has announced the selection of Russell Barksdale Jr. as its new president and chief executive officer, an experienced senior healthcare executive to lead the region’s largest retirement community.

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Barksdale has led all aspects of senior care and healthcare services and operations at numerous locations in New York and New Jersey, most recently as president and CEO of Hempstead Healthcare, a management company that operates four facilities in suburban New York City.  Barksdale has a bachelor’s degree in pre-medicine from Penn State University and a master’s degree specializing in healthcare administration from Rutgers University.

 

Los Angeles Jewish Home Selects Real Estate Developer Michael Heslov to Serve as its Chair

The Los Angeles Jewish Home has selected Home board member Michael Heslov as its new board of directors’ chair effective July 1. Heslov, who succeeds David Swartz in the Home’s top volunteer leadership spot, is a commercial real estate developer and co-partner in the Los Angeles firm, Soboroff Partners. He has been a member of the Jewish Home’s board for six years, and was instrumental in negotiations that enabled the Home to acquire property for a new campus to be located in Culver City. Heslov has served as vice chair of the board’s budget and finance committee for the past two years, and is a passionate advocate of the Home’s mission to provide quality senior care reflective of Jewish values, independent of financial ability.

 

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Ellen Gamble Joins Presbyterian SeniorCare as Senior Director of Communications

Ellen Gamble was recently hired for the the position of Senior Director of Communications at Presbyterian SeniorCare (PSC) in June. Gamble is a York native with extensive background in television and radio broadcasting as well as experience as a director of development with non-profits in the Pittsburgh region.

Gamble spent four years as development director at the Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh and more than a year as director of development at Pressley Ridge, an international non-profit organization serving troubled children and their families.  She’s been a field producer for NBC Universal and has done voice over work and been an on-camera actress for The Talent Group since 1997.  Gamble was a general assignment reporter and weekend-weekday morning anchor for WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh for six years and was news-public affairs director and a morning show personality at WDSY-FM radio for six years. Her broadcast career began in 1990 as an airborne traffic reporter for KDKA-AM radio in Pittsburgh.

 

Nash Nunnery Joins ProMatura Group, LLC

Nash Nunnery has joined ProMatura Group, LLC as the firm’s first-ever Director of Business Communications & Development. He will oversee external and internal communications for the Oxford, Mississippi firm and also is responsible for coordinating media relations, prioritizing public relations needs, and developing and maintaining quality standards for all ProMatura publications.

Prior to joining the firm in June 2010, Nunnery was a senior writer with the Mississippi Business Journal, where he covered the banking and finance, construction, economic development and sports business industries. Previously, he served as public information officer for the Mayor’s Office in the City of Jackson, Mississippi.

Nunnery received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Belhaven College and earned the school’s 2004 Communication Achievement Award.

 

BLUS Appoints Sonke as Chief Operating Officer

Courtesy BLUS Bottom Line Utility Solutions, Inc. recently announced the appointment of David W. Sonke as the new Chief Operating Officer. BLUS serves the Senior Housing Management Community in the Western United States.

Mr. Sonke has extensive experience in the field of real estate construction, marketing, sales and business development. He formerly served as Vice President of Acquisitions and Capital Expenditures for Archstone Communities where he directed the capital projects and redevelopment of assets totaling $9 billion. Prior to Archstone, Mr. Sonke served as Vice President of Regional Services at Lincoln Residential Services.

 

Haven Behavioral Senior Care of North Denver Hires New Executive Director

Haven Behavioral Senior Care of North Denver announced it has hired Marc McComas as its new executive director.  McComas has a bachelor of science from Southern Nazarene University and has worked with Haven Behavioral Healthcare since its inception in 2006.  Previously he was in the Air Force and most recently served as the business development director at Rolling Hills Hospital in Ada, Okla.