WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — The board of directors at Lifespace Communities has elected Paula Shives as its new chair. Shives, a 14-year member of the Lifespace Board, succeeds the outgoing E. LaVerne Epp.
Based in West Des Moines, Lifespace is a nonprofit owner and operator of 12 retirement communities across seven states. The organization recently executed an affiliation agreement with Texas-based Senior Quality Lifestyles Corporation (SQLC). Upon closing, three SQLC communities, as well as SQLC’s management company Seniority Inc., will join the Lifespace organization.
Shives joined the Lifespace board in 2005 and previously served as chair from 2011 to 2013. Before retirement, she was senior vice president, secretary and general counsel for Darden Restaurants Inc., the owner and operator of several notable restaurant chains including Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse and Yard House. Prior to that, she was general counsel and served in other in-house counsel positions for Long John Silver’s Restaurants Inc. and its predecessor, Jerrico, Inc.
Shives holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Western Kentucky University and a law degree from the University of Kentucky College of Law.