Meet Peter
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:
In what ways do your residents inspire you?
I see residents every day refusing to accept the limitations that come with age. I witness so many that maintain a very active lifestyle. These residents are generally healthier and happier.
Do you have any memorable experiences with a particular resident you would like to share?
We had a resident who loved to come down every morning and joke with the front office staff (and myself). We could always count on her to give us a hard time. She loved when we would respond in a like manner with her. It was done in love and good humor on both sides.
How do you honor your residents at your community?
We honor residents on special events (new move-in, birthdays, etc.). However, we honor our residents in the most visible way possible – by demonstrating genuine love and respect every day, all day.
Tell us about a resident with a remarkable life story?
As I mentioned earlier, I am an avid horseman. We have a resident in our community who has spent a lifetime breeding and training horses. We have had many wonderful conversations about horses. He has forgotten more about horses and horsemanship than I will ever know. He is an exceptional individual!
Tell us about a resident whose life changed for the better once they moved to your community.
A gentleman moved into our community about six months ago. He was able to get around only by means of a wheelchair. He loved to eat but had developed very poor nutrition habits prior to his arrival here. He was very quiet, seemingly introverted. His development and overall improvement over these past months has been nothing short of extraordinary! He walks free of any assistive device, thoroughly enjoys our meals in the dining room and has developed a circle of friends. He is like a new person. It gives me a great sense of purpose and accomplishment to see what moving into our community can do for a resident.
How long have you worked in the retirement industry?
I have worked in the retirement/long term care industry for over 20 years. I served as the Executive Director of retirement communities in both Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., prior to my relocation to Arizona.
What do you like best about your job?
I enjoy the challenge of maintaining a balance; having the responsibility to operate a successful business while at the same time assuring that we do everything possible to provide a superior quality of life for our residents.
What do you like to do in your free time and why?
In my time out here in Arizona I have become an avid horseman. The enjoyment I gain from riding my horse throughout the beautiful open land here is extraordinary. It is quite refreshing and very therapeutic to be on a horse out on the trail!
If you could meet one person, past or present, who would it be and why?
Billy Graham, the evangelist. He has faithfully carried out his calling of preaching and speaking for almost 70 years to people in more than 185 countries and territories. That is amazing! I would welcome the opportunity to sit with him and find out how he maintained this level of commitment.
What’s your favorite movie and why?
The first “Rocky” movie. The why has two parts: First, I was born and raised in Philadelphia, so I feel a connection there; Second, the theme behind the movie is the power of the human spirit. Very compelling!
What’s your favorite dish or dessert and why?
Shepard’s Pie. My wife makes the best Shepard’s Pie I have ever tasted. It is an old-fashioned dish, but the combination of lean ground beef, real mashed potatoes and a variety of spices makes it unbeatable!
In what ways do your employees inspire you?
I see a group of individuals who treat the residents here like family. They call each resident by name, give him or her a hug daily and always seem to have time for a kind word. I have never worked in a community where a culture of respect and kindness toward residents exists at such a high level.
How do you create a family-like atmosphere at your community?
We emphasize to a strong degree the concept of teamwork. We have a culture here where we believe in the notion that “we are all in this together and thus we do whatever it takes.” We care about each other as co-workers and individuals. One of our employees recently experienced the death of his wife. He asked to have the reception following the memorial service at our community because to him, we are his family. And truly, he is family to us.
Tell us about an employee who embodies one of our core values – integrity, respect, responsibility, professionalism or teamwork.
We have a member of our dining service staff who demonstrates these most cherished core values. Her respect and love for our residents is unconditional. She knows what each resident wants for breakfast and has it ordered by the time the resident arrives in the dining room. She willingly trains and helps other new staff and does so with a smile. She is an honest, hard-working individual who truly lives these values each and every day.
At Horizon Bay, we understand that deciding where to live is a big decision that deserves careful thought. I invite you to visit us, stop by for lunch or be a guest at one of our special events or classes. I look forward to meeting you.