Senior Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care - Lawton, Oklahoma

Meet Tammy
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?
My residents inspire me every day in some way or another. I would have to say though that they inspire me to be grateful for everything that I have. They have all lived through so many things that in today’s society we wouldn’t know what to do if we had to go through some of the things they’ve experienced. We have so much to learn from them if we all just take the time to listen.

How do you honor your residents at your community?
We honor our residents each month in our newsletter. We have a section each month in the newsletter that highlights one resident and their life.

Tell us about a resident whose life changed for the better once they moved to your community.
I started working at Horizon Bay as wait staff when I was in high school. I was offered a receptionist position after about a year and then a bookkeeping position. We had a resident who was so ornery that many thought she was just mean and cruel at times. She wasn’t though. I loved her because she was honest even when it may hurt you – she was always honest. When my Mee-Maw passed in 1999, this resident told me that she would be my grandma whenever I needed one. After that she would stay in the front lobby where I worked until 5 o’clock when I would leave. She was who helped me realize my passion. I later was offered a newly created position as an assistant manager and years later was promoted to executive director. She had quite an impact on my life.

How long have you worked in the retirement industry?
Since June 1998 – 10 years.

What do you like best about your job?
The best thing I like about my job is when I make a resident simply smile or when I hear a resident call Horizon Bay home. When a resident calls Horizon Bay home it makes everything I do worthwhile. We have helped a resident continue their story.

What do you like to do in your free time and why?
In my free time I spend every minute I can with my daughter. She is the most important thing in my life and she makes me so proud.

If you could meet one person, past or present, who would it be and why?
If I could meet one person it would be Lucille Ball because she always makes me laugh.

What’s your favorite movie and why?
My favorite movie would have to be "Legends of the Falls" because I love a movie that has multiple emotions mixed together. It’s a movie that men like because it has fighting and trials but women also like because it’s a mixed-up love story that will make you cry and the next minute make you feel all warm inside.

What’s your favorite dish or dessert and why?
My favorite dessert is tiramisu. I love coffee and it tastes a lot like coffee.

In what ways do your employees inspire you?
My employees inspire me to be a better leader every day. I always have to remember that all my actions are being watched. I also don’t ever ask them to do anything that I haven’t or wouldn’t do myself.

How do you create a family-like atmosphere at your community?
I think to create a family-like atmosphere at Horizon Bay, everyone has to first off respect each other and what that person does for the community. Respect, trust and honesty are key factors to building an atmosphere that is strong and comfortable. We treat each other and anyone that walks through the door with respect and dignity.

Tell us about an employee who embodies one of our core values – integrity, respect, responsibility, professionalism or teamwork.
I cannot name one employee that embodies one of our core values because I have so many employees that exhibit the core values each and every day. Just to name a few: Anita, Fran and JoAnn demonstrate integrity along with many other values daily; Dennis, Sharon, Goldie, Latresha and Lavonda demonstrate teamwork along with many other values daily; Whitney, Deirdre, Janice, Elmira, Starla, Dezery and Ashley demonstrate responsibility along with many other values daily. The list could go on and on as each of my employees embodies our core values. 

At Ten Oaks, 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.