John B. Goodman, chairman of senior living development and management company The Goodman Group, died on March 20 from complications following a heart attack, the company announced Tuesday. Goodman was 66 years old.
Goodman had led the Chaska, Minnesota-based company since 1976. Originally founded by Goodman’s father as Sage Company, The Goodman Group now encompasses 33 senior living and health care properties in eight states, with 4,200 employees and more than 70 properties in its overall portfolio.
The executive-in-charge role is being immediately assumed by Craig Edinger, who became COO of the The Goodman Group in February, after being with the company for 12 years. A formal succession plan will be announced at a later date, the company stated. No changes are anticipated in day-to-day operations.
“There was a spiritual side of John that came from his heart and soul,” former U.S. Senator Norm Coleman said in a prepared statement. “He was the most loving human being I have ever met in my life. He brimmed with love. He loved the seniors and children he provided care for, the families, the caregivers, his employees, and was the most incredible friend I could have ever hoped to have. The world will not be the same without him.”
Known for his philanthropy, Goodman established several nonprofit organizations, including Intergenerational Living & Health Care, Inc., the Caregivers Support Network, and the Johnny B. Good Foundation. He also authored the books “The Road to Self: Reflections from a Soulful CEO” and “Moments Matter: Everyday Inspiration from a Soulful CEO.”
The Goodman Group received a 2014 Performance Excellence Award from the Performance Excellence Network (PEN), formerly the Minnesota Council for Quality. The award recognized the company for excellence in business based on the Malcolm Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence, such as leadership, strategic planning, and workforce engagement and operations. The Mayo Clinic and Allina Health have been among the other recipients.
The Goodman Group has implemented innovative programs in its communities, including: intergenerational care through a mixed-generation theater program; a “Food for Life” menu featuring a whole food, plant-based diet; nature immersion rooms; nurse practitioner-led care transitions; and talent pipeline that has brought more than 165 nurses from the Philippines to the United States.
Goodman spoke with Senior Housing News last spring about these efforts and his overall philosophy of innovation and leadership.
Written by Tim Mullaney
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