Meet Martha
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?
So many residents have faced much harder times than any of us have, they have a better sense of what is really important in life. They can teach tolerance and patience, which a lot of younger people lack. They are the greatest generation.
Do you have any memorable experiences with a particular resident you would like to share?
I have too many to count, but the special ones are seeing residents hold a new great-grandchild for the first time, greeting a grandson back from Iraq with his arm still in a sling and a bandage on his head, seeing residents who have been married 70-plus years still holding hands and sneaking a kiss when they think no one is looking. It’s the emotional moments that I most like to share.
How do you honor your residents at your community?
They like little gifts and mentioning birthdays and anniversaries. They love to have stories about their own children and grandchildren announced to a crowd.
Tell us about a resident with a remarkable life story?
We had a gentleman who was a Navy veteran. He had been on Sealab II with Jacques Cousteau and was involved with the invention of many of the underwater and submarine procedures and equipment used today. He was also one of the wittiest men I ever met and kept us all in stitches.
Tell us about a resident whose life changed for the better once they moved to your community.
The best thing about community life is that no one is ever alone again. I have seen many residents who had a much better life in our community than at home alone where they did not fix enough food for themselves and did not take their meds correctly.
What do you like best about your job?
The best part of the job is working with our residents who have been a source of personal and professional inspiration to me throughout my career. I also enjoy creating a team of great employees who like to care for and be with the residents as much as I do. Running a successful business and doing turnarounds in most of the communities I have been hired for makes me feel good about my skills.
What do you like to do in your free time and why?
I like to read novels and watch movies because it gives me a taste of a more adventurous life without the danger. I also like to embroider, crochet, go fishing and play with my two Scottish terriers. My husband and I like to travel.
If you could meet one person, past or present, who would it be and why?
I would like to have met Thomas Edison just to chat about how he came up with so many ideas for modern inventions. I find this kind of person much more interesting than say, a philosopher.
What’s your favorite movie and why?
I have a lot of favorite movies, but I will always watch "Gone With the Wind" when it is on because of the sweeping story and Scarlett’s personality along with just watching Clark Gable smile.
What’s your favorite dish or dessert and why?
I have a lot of favorite foods, but I really love chocolate because it is the best taste in the world. It makes you feel good just to have it.
In what ways do your employees inspire you?
It can really touch your heart to see even a housekeeper console a resident who has just lost her husband and take the time to personally escort her to an activity so the resident can start to resocialize. My employees care for each and every resident and this job is much more than just a paycheck to them.
How do you create a family-like atmosphere at your community?
It’s easy. I want to work in a nice, happy place, so I am easy to get along with and like to be happy around my residents and staff. I treat residents, family members and staff like family. I treat them like I really like them because I really do. The director of a community directs the atmosphere as well as the business. If Mama is happy, everybody’s happy.
Tell us about an employee who embodies one of our core values – integrity, respect, responsibility, professionalism or teamwork.
Our director of dining services is just such a person. She is a very hard worker, always working to improve her department, finding new ways to maintain the consistency of product and service that our residents deserve, and working with the other managers and employees on any and everything to make the entire community a successful place. Beside all that, she is totally honest and above board with her inventory and ordering. She is greatly loved and respected by her employees, many of whom she has trained and advanced in her department from part-time wait staff up to head cook. She goes above and beyond for residents who need some special meal while recuperating. When we didn’t have a maintenance supervisor, she worked extra and brought her own toolbox to fix commodes, leaky faucets and squeaky doors. She a star!
At Horizon Bay, we understand that deciding where to live is a big decision that deserves careful thought. We invite you to visit us, stop by for lunch or be a guest at one of our special events or classes. We look forward to meeting you.