Meet Darren
Executive Director
The executive director, along with our friendly and professional staff, strives to create positive, stimulating ways for residents to continue living life with meaning and purpose. We are a friendly family where we treat residents like real people with real life stories.
Our community is a great story that includes heartwarming chapters and incredibly unique characters all in a wonderful setting. Here is the executive director’s story:
How long have you worked in the retirement industry?
13 years
What do you like best about your job?
Introducing new families to our “way of life”! Watching folks flourish as they become comfortable in the community.
What do you like to do in your free time and why?
I enjoy fishing. My family has a small bay house and it’s great for a quick getaway!
If you could meet one person, past or present, who would it be and why?
Gordon Bethune, former CEO of Continental Airlines. He took a company with a poor track record and made it one of the best in the industry.
What’s your favorite movie and why?
Terms of Endearmant, It’s funny, sad and filmed in Houston!
What’s your favorite dish or dessert and why?
Mexican Food - probably because I am on a perpetual diet and it’s one of the things I crave and can’t have.
In what ways do your residents inspire you?
Some of our residents have significant issues that limit their abilities. They don’t usually complain about these issues. They make the best of their situation and enjoy life. If we could all learn to be a little more like our residents and be happy with our current situation our world would be a better place.
Do you have any memorable experiences with a particular resident you would like to share?
I had the privilege of serving a lady who was a widow and had outlived her children. She had lived in retirement living for 15 years prior to moving to The Terrace. Based on her many years of community living, she was a wealth of knowledge and has helped shape my view of how we do business. I am forever grateful to her.
How do you honor your residents at your community?
By ensuring that all team members know the life story of each resident. Arming them with this information allows them to form a bond – a friendship that will enhance the residents’ life.
Tell us about a resident with a remarkable life story?
I had the pleasure of having a lady who owned a local Houston radio station live in our community. Because of this, she had “rubbed elbows” with many of the who’s who in Houston’s history and it was fascinating to hear her stories.
Tell us about a resident whose life changed for the better once they moved to your community.
Margaret had lived alone for most of her life. She refused to accept help from her family, but acknowledged that she was beginning to have some health issues and needed some help. She called me and scheduled a visit. Margaret was able to choose her floorplan and be a part of her care plan process. She moved into the community and with the assistance was able to begin to live again. Because of her age she had outlived all of her friends. She told me that it was the first time in 15 years she had made a new friend.
In what ways do your employees inspire you?
Many of my team members have families of their own. Their ability to give to our residents and then go home and give to their families truly inspires me.
How do you create a family-like atmosphere at your community?
Well our turnover here is very low. I have known many of my team members for years. We spend 8 plus hours together celebrating our residents and their milestones, as well as celebrating our accomplishments and grieving our losses together. We are a family!
Tell us about an employee who embodies one of our core values – integrity, respect, responsibility, professionalism or teamwork.
Nina, a team member who works in our Assisted Living neighborhood, embodies not one but several of these core values. Nina is unflappable. No matter the situation, she remains calm and always provides care with a smile and really tries to make her residents feel special.