Movers & Shakers: Holiday Hires New Senior VP of Sales

Holiday Retirement Welcomes New Senior VP of Sales

Holiday Retirement welcomed Rick Wigginton as the company’s new senior vice president of sales.

Wigginton has more than 25 years of executive experience in direct sales and sales management. Before joining Holiday, he worked at Atria Senior Living, where he served as senior vice president of sales, marketing and creative for the last four years.

In his new role at Holiday, Wigginton will oversee the company’s sales organization and serve on the company’s executive team. He will be involved in building teams that will grow and expand Holiday’s business, and play a key role in helping to educate Holiday’s potential future residents.

“Rick is a seasoned and proven sales leader with decades of experience,” Holiday CEO Lilly Donohue said in a news release. “But most importantly, Rick brings his heart and his passion for the customers we serve, which will help all of us engage with our residents and build even stronger bonds. His focus on the constantly changing needs of our customers will lead us to create innovative programs and offer new services.”

Front Porch Announces New CFO

Front Porch, a not-for-profit company that offers full-service retirement, active adult communities, affordable housing and more, announced that Ryan Stearns joins the company’s leadership team as CFO.

Stearn has more than 25 years of experience, including both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations working with financial budgeting, strategic planning, information technology systems and operational reporting. He comes to Front Porch after serving as CFO for Account Control Technology Holdings/Convergent Resources, a revenue cycle management company specializing in receivables management, including third-party reimbursement for hospitals.

“Ryan’s impressive leadership qualities and background in finance, strategic planning and information technology make him a great fit for his new role at Front Porch,” Front Porch CEO John M. Woodward said in a news release. “We welcome him to our team and look forward to his contributions in strengthening Front Porch’s position as an innovative leader in senior service.”

Based in Glendale, California, Front Porch has 10 full-service retirement communities, two adult living communities, and 25 affordable housing communities.

Watercrest Senior Living Group Appoints New COO

Watercrest Senior Living Group appointed Michele Thompson as COO, a new role at the company.

Thompson joined Watercrest in 2013 as vice president of operations. She brings more than 18 years of experience to her new COO role, working in leadership positions with national providers like Brookdale Senior Living (NYSE: BKD). She began her career working with memory care residents, and she previously served as national director of dementia services and vice president of operations for a regional operating company.

“Michele is a tremendous asset and invaluable partner,” Marc Vorkapich, Principal and CEO of Watercrest Senior Living Group, said in a news release. “Her unique leadership skills and passion for serving seniors have been a driving force in the growth of Watercrest and our ability to significantly impact the lives of seniors and associates. This well-deserved promotion not only celebrates Michele’s copious achievements and God-given talents, but also advances Watercress’s commitment to developing servant leaders.”

Watercrest Senior Living Group specializes in the development and operations management of assisted living and memory care communities.

Lifespace Communities Adds New Senior VP of Business Development

Lifespace Communities, a not-for-profit senior living system, tapped Thomas L. Brod to join the Des Moines, Iowa-based company as senior vice president of business development.

Brod brings almost 40 years of senior living experience to his new role. He consulted with Lifespace as principal of North Shores Consulting Inc. of Columbus, Ohio, and provided strategic and financial consulting for senior living communities across the country.

Before becoming a consultant, Brod served as executive vice president of finance for Erickson Living, and he worked at Ziegler Capital Markets in the 90s. He also led Charlestown Retirement Community in Baltimore, Maryland.

“There are few people who offer Tom’s level of skill and expertise in finance and strategy for senior living,” Lifespace CEO Sloan Bentley said in a news release. “Those skills will be invaluable as we continue to seek opportunities to grow.”

Lifespace Communities has 12 continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) in seven states.

Ingleside Selects New Executive Director for Ingleside at Home

Ingleside, a not-for-profit provider of senior living services in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, selected Lisa Desmond as executive director for Ingleside at Home.

Desmond takes the role after serving as director of home care at Westminster at Lake Ridge, one of three Ingleside campuses that hosted the pilot program for the new service line. She is a registered nurse.

“We are honored to have Lisa continue her leadership for our new program,” Ingleside COO Libby Bush said in a news release. “Lisa’s extensive health care experience made her the ideal person for this role as we expand our vision of creating diverse and engaging opportunities for seniors.”

Ingleside at Home is a new service that aims to provide a wide range of home care options for current residents and seniors in their homes. It will be available at all three Ingleside campuses and the community at large.

Erickson Living Hires Sales Director at Michigan Community, Associate Executive Director at Maryland CCRC

Erickson Living named Jangar Richards as associate executive director of Charlestown, a CCRC in Catonsville, Maryland, and Allison Murphy as sales director of Fox Run, a CCRC in Novi, Michigan.

Richards has more than 15 years of experience in health care and hospital operations, managed care, consulting, project management and strategic planning roles, recently serving as director of operations with John Hopkins Medicine International Patient Services since 2006. In her new role, she will assist in the facilitation and coordination of various teams of management, and will provide vision and leadership to ensure Charlestown achieves its objectives for quality care and services, financial viability, resident relations and staff development.

Murphy worked with Erickson Living as a part of the sales start-up team at Fox Run in 2001. She went on to serve as a sales manager and sales counselor, and helped with training and development at Erickson Living communities in Illinois, Colorado, Texas, and Massachusetts. Over the past few years, she worked for Trinity Health Senior Communities as regional director of sales.

Charlestown and Fox Run are two of 19 CCRCs managed by Erickson Living.

Signature HealthCARE Names New CEO of Gastonia Care and Rehabilitation

Signature HealthCARE named Kim Long as the new CEO of Gastonia Care and Rehabilitation in Gastonia, North Carolina.

Long will oversee day-to-day operations at the center in her new role. She most recently served as an administrator at Meadowwood Nursing Center, and before that was a center executive director at Emeritus Senior Living (now Brookdale) in Charlotte, North Carolina. Additionally, she worked as a marketing consultant for Liberty HealthCare and in a management role at Brian Center Health & Rehabilitation.

“Kim’s extensive knowledge and experience in nursing home administration make her the perfect choice for CEO,” Dawne Dries, vice president of operations at Signature HealthCARE, said in a news release. “We feel Kim, a Gaston County native, embodies the spirit of what we’re doing in the communities we serve.”

LifeCenters Development Group Expands Senior Housing Focus with 2 Hires

Franklin, Tennessee-based LifeCenters Development Group announced the hiring of Jim Britt and Kori Tallman in an effort to build a “Super Bowl” team geared toward seniors housing.

Britt serves as LifeCenters’ chief of staff, providing project management and administrative oversight for the company’s entitlement processes and construction. He was formerly an assisted living director in Texas, followed by an executive director of an assisted living community in Nashville, Tennessee. He also served for more than 12 years in the U.S. Navy as a Navy Deep Sea Diver.

Tallman oversees investor relations for LifeCenters. Her previous responsibilities in the behavioral health and substance abuse industries included business development, managing logistics, collecting payments and more.

Written by Kourtney Liepelt