Meet Jeff
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?
11 years
What do you like best about your job?
I enjoy the ability to interact with people of all different backgrounds and viewpoints.
What do you like to do in your free time and why?
I enjoy being outdoors – the closer to the water the better. I water ski whenever I get the chance.
If you could meet one person, past or present, who would it be and why?
Just for fun I would like to hang out with Jimmy Buffet. I’m not easily star struck, but he has made a fortune hanging out on the beach, drinking margaritas and wearing flip flops. Actually, he is much more interesting than that. I have read 4 of his books and his real talent is that of a story teller. It would be fascinating to have the opportunity to sit on his boat and listen to him tell stories and gain some insight into how he creates a tale.
What’s your favorite movie and why?
There are so many movies I enjoy. My favorites tend to be mindless comedies, and last week I saw the Great Outdoors for what seems like the 50th time. So, it is my favorite movie of the week. It takes place at the lake, so it has an immediate draw for me. The fun is in the parallels to our own lives and the unique relationships we have with parents, siblings, in-laws/out-laws, cousins, etc...
What’s your favorite dish or dessert and why?
I think it’s safe to say I am a picky eater. Food does not take a high priority in my life and it may be 7 pm before it occurs to me I have not eaten. With that said, spaghetti with meat sauce has been my favorite since I was a child, and to this day is one of the few dishes I actually cook at home. As for dessert, I have to say pumpkin pie. Grandma always had one ready at Christmas time and I would drown it in Cool Whip.
In what ways do your residents inspire you?
They inspire me to create memories with my friends and family. The residents have such great stories about their lives and experiences, and they keep reminding me to cherish the time I spend with the people in my life. I was on vacation with close friends recently and we had a great experience, but I realized we spent a lot of time telling stories about things we did last year, or five years ago. Those stories drew in a new group of friends and now I have stories about the time with them that I can enjoy sharing for years to come.
Do you have any memorable experiences with a particular resident you would like to share?
There are so many, which it makes it hard to share just one. I think the most important are the small things that on the surface seem insignificant but end up making a lasting impression on the resident. Last year, a new resident was sitting in the atrium a few days after she moved in. I said hello and sat down for a few minutes. It ended up being more like 45 minutes, which didn’t seem long at all. But, it made an impression on her. She tells everyone about that conversation and thanks me continuously for talking with her that day.
How do you honor your residents at your community?
We do some very nice things like a resident spotlight article in the newsletter, birthday parties and special meals; but, what I am proud of is the respect the staff shows to the residents and all the great compliments I get from families saying how helpful and caring the staff is. To me, showing respect is the most powerful way we can honor our residents.
Tell us about a resident with a remarkable life story?
There are so many incredible stories. They are all unique and I just sit there – mesmerized – when someone is telling me about their experiences in the war or Hell’s Kitchen in NYC during the depression. One resident continues to surprise me with things she has done. Starting with growing up with all brothers, which made her a bit of a tom boy who could whip anybody who gave her trouble (and still can today). She could rebuild a carburetor faster than anyone in the neighborhood and found a junked-out Indian motorcycle that she rebuilt. When her son wouldn’t let her ride it, she pushed it out of the driveway until she could start it and go for a ride. She was a police officer, a performer and worked for the military. I can’t do justice to the stories on paper – the light in her eye when she tells them makes you feel like you were right there with her working on that car, straightening out the police chief or dancing to the music.
Tell us about a resident whose life changed for the better once they moved to your community.
Whether it’s eating better, taking medications appropriately or just socializing, there are so many people who have benefited from moving here. We have a gentleman who moved in not long ago that is enjoying all those things. He was living alone, his family was in another state and it was just overwhelming to deal with everything on his own. He moved in with his kids for a short time, but they were finding that he was still alone most of the time, would skip lunch and hide from the world most of the day while they were at work and dealing with the complexities of life. Within the first couple of days of moving in he was out and about in the community. He immediately hit it off with a neighbor and found a group of friends to join for lunch and laugh with at Happy Hour. I always smile when I see him walking in the community because that huge grin is contagious.
In what ways do your employees inspire you?
I once listened to a speaker who compared those who work with the elderly to the clergy. He felt it was a selfless profession that served a higher purpose. I know good and well we are not saints, but the individuals who work here amaze me with their compassion and dedication to the residents who live here.
How do you create a family-like atmosphere at your community?
I wouldn’t call it family-like, I would just call it family. It is a blending of generations with the residents providing their wisdom and gratitude and the staff showing compassion, respect and dedication.
Tell us about an employee who embodies one of our core values – integrity, respect, responsibility, professionalism or teamwork.
I receive compliments on a regular basis about the staff at the Cherry Hills Club. I am fortunate to have such dedicated and caring team. I would love to tell you about each and every employee and how they make the lives of our residents better every day. Since space won’t allow me to rave about everyone, I will focus on the one gentleman who is singled out by residents and staff for going the extra mile and truly exhibits the standards of excellence that we call core values. Glen is in our maintenance department, so he spends time with almost everyone in the community. He is always quick to flash a smile and lend a hand. He takes the time to get to know our residents and make sure they are comfortable in their home. It may be as simple as showing a little common courtesy with words like please and thank you, or taking the time to make sure the picture of your grandkids is hanging straight on the wall. The question may be “tell us about an employee who embodies one of our core values,” but the answer has to describe someone who embodies all of our core values. My words don’t to justice to all he does for the residents here, but I’m sure after you move into the Cherry Hills Club you will feel the same way about Glen that I do.