SARASOTA, Fla. — Watercrest Senior Living Group has hired Collin Baranick as executive director of Watercrest Sarasota Senior Living Community in Sarasota, a 198-unit community scheduled to open this summer. Baranick entered the senior living industry in 2010 as care manager on the nursing floor of a large senior living provider. He later transitioned to a wellness director role, where he improved community culture, staff training and quality assurance. Baranick most recently served as executive director, opening two senior living communities from ground up in South Carolina and Florida. When …
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Aaron Becker to Lead ORIX Seniors Housing Division Following Merger of Lancaster Pollard, RED, Hunt
by Jeff Shaw
PHILADELPHIA — ORIX Real Estate Capital (OREC) has appointed Aaron Becker as head of production for seniors housing and healthcare. Based in the firm’s Philadelphia office, Becker will lead seniors housing and healthcare originations for OREC, which is based in Columbus, Ohio. The new entity will combine the forces of Lancaster Pollard, RED Capital Group and Hunt Real Estate Capital. ORIX Corp. USA acquired the three entities over recent years. Prior to being named head of production, Becker was regional manager in the Northeast for Lancaster Pollard, and served as …
HJ Sims Hires Two Seniors Housing Experts, Expanding Investment Banking Team to West Coast, Midwest
by Jeff Shaw
FAIRFIELD, Conn. — HJ Sims has added two senior bankers as the firm opens new offices in the Midwest and on the West Coast. Lynn Daly joins Sims as executive vice president in its new Chicago location. She has over 30 years of experience working with nonprofit organizations in financing. Daly was acting head of senior living investment banking at BB&T Capital Markets, where she managed BB&T’s senior living relationships in the Midwest, facilitating financings of $1.3+ billion. Prior to BB&T Capital Markets, Daly spearheaded the Catholic Initiative within senior …
CHICAGO — Waterton, a national real estate investor and operator based in Chicago, has hired Christopher Kersten as vice president of reporting and business intelligence. Kersten brings 15 years of data management and business intelligence experience to Waterton and will be the company’s expert on Waterton’s business intelligence, data analytics and reporting platform. He will also be responsible for the integration and consolidation of data metrics across the firm’s multifamily, senior living and hotel portfolio. Previously, Kersten was vice president of data management at Performance Trust Capital Partners and director …
DALLAS — Walker & Dunlop has hired Steve Mentesana as senior managing director on its FHA finance team. Based out of the company’s Dallas office, Mentesana is responsible for originating multifamily loans — including seniors housing — with a focus on the lending programs of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). With over three decades of experience in the commercial real estate industry, Mentesana has a deep knowledge of HUD’s refinance, healthcare and construction lending products. Prior to joining Walker & Dunlop, he served as senior managing …
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — National Health Investors Inc. (NYSE: NHI) has hired David Travis as its senior vice president and chief accounting officer, effective May 1. He joins the Murfreesboro-based REIT to replace Ron Reel, who is retiring at the end of the year. Travis has over 20 years of accounting and financial reporting experience including over 12 years as a chief accounting officer for publicly traded healthcare REITs. Prior to joining NHI, he was the chief accounting officer with MedEquities Realty Trust Inc. from 2014 through the completion of its …
LOS ANGELES — WorkTaps , a mobile employee referral solution for the hourly and deskless workforces, will offer its hiring software to businesses at no cost in response to the COVID-19 crisis. The Los Angeles-based company will offer its service for free through Aug. 15 to help fill recruiting pipelines and find jobs for workers displaced by the crisis, such as hotel, restaurant and retail employees. “With U.S. unemployment claims currently at a record 16 million and projected to increase dramatically, we’re furthering our mission to quickly connect and create …
Operators Must Show Appreciation, Increase Safety to Retain Staff During Pandemic, Says SHB Webinar Panel
by Jeff Shaw
As the COVID-19 pandemic has shut down many businesses around the world, seniors housing is in a tough spot. In charge of caring for seniors — those most vulnerable to the disease — communities must stay open, but while doing everything possible to ensure the safety of residents. The industry already faced a staffing shortage for frontline workers. Now many of those workers either can’t come into work for fear of transmitting COVID-19 to an older family member, or are resigning out of fear of contracting the disease themselves. “Early …
TOLEDO, Ohio — Welltower (NYSE: WELL), the largest seniors housing REIT in the country by market cap, has promoted two of its C-Suite executives. In addition to his existing title of chief investment officer, Shankh Mitra is now chief operating officer of the company. His secondary title, formerly executive vice president, was also upgraded to vice chair. Tim McHugh will maintain his title of chief financial officer, but his secondary title was adjusted from senior vice president to executive vice president. CEO Tom DeRosa’s contract was also extended, though details …
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (NYSE: BKD), the nation’s largest senior living operator, is actively recruiting to fill more than 4,500 positions. Brookdale operates 743 senior living communities in 45 states. The company could be a sign of relief for the jobless, as nearly 17 million people have filed initial unemployment claims in the last three weeks due to businesses shuttering during the COVID-19 pandemic. Brookdale is seeking registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), certified nursing assistants (CNAs), caregivers, housekeeping, dining, maintenance and many other roles. The …