Senior residing nonprofit Willow Valley Communities has appointed Lisa Hawthorne as its new president and CEO.
The transfer is efficient June 9, based on a press launch. Lancaster, Pennsylvania-based Willow Valley chosen Hawthorne for “her excellent management, deep business expertise and clear imaginative and prescient for the way forward for senior residing” following a nationwide search to fill the place of John G. Swanson, who retired from his place as president and CEO of Willow Valley Communities and can now be focusing his time solely on Willow Valley’s energetic improvement initiatives as CEO of Willow Valley Growth Corp.
“I’m grateful to be becoming a member of Willow Valley in its place as a pacesetter in our area,” Hawthorne advised Senior Housing Information. “I’m honored to be right here to easily lead the continuation of a 40 yr legacy of excellence, innovation, high quality and all the nice issues that this group is understood for.”
Willow Valley Communities’ SouthPointe Village group is within the midst of a 124-apartment enlargement, with the primary 48 models constructed out and occupied, with the following 48 underneath development and the ultimate 28 starting development later this yr.
Some residences inside the group have an almost 10 yr ready checklist, based on Hawthorne.
Hawthorne stated her prime priorities embrace attending to know the group, crew members and residents extra deeply, together with sustaining the momentum of the group’s progress initiatives which are underway, such because the continued improvement of its excessive rise Mosaic undertaking set to be the “tallest constructing in Lancaster County.” Upon completion, Mosaic will likely be Willow Valley Communities’ city campus with upscale eating open to the general public and onsite resort-style facilities.
Hawthorne brings greater than 28 years of expertise to the position and is credited with “enjoying a pivotal position” in additional than 100 senior residing group developments nationwide.
She most just lately labored because the chief technique and integration officer at LifeSpire of Virginia. She additionally was principal within the healthcare and senior residing apply of agency Dixon Hughes Goodman and vp of strategic partnerships and senior vp of analysis and healthcare consulting at GlynnDevins, a senior residing business advertising and marketing agency that rebranded as Attane in 2021 and closed its doorways in 2023.
Willow Valley Communities board chair stated the group was “delighted” to welcome its latest chief.
“Her strategic mindset, business data and dedication to resident-focused innovation make her the best chief to information our group into the long run,” Gilbert stated.
“All through her profession, Hawthorne has collaborated intently with govt administration groups and boards, offering strategic steering in enterprise planning, monetary and market feasibility, architectural design and development, advertising and marketing and communications, operations and modern new progress initiatives,” the discharge states.
Willow Valley has undertaken a number of distinctive initiatives over time, together with a meals corridor and a reminiscence care group that takes inspiration from the Hogeweyk, the well-known reminiscence care group within the Netherlands with a village idea.
“There’s no resting on laurels, as a result of the world is altering quickly, and I believe the buyer continues to vary,” Hawthorne stated. “This can be a very saturated market, and it’s a really small market … nearly all of residents really come from outdoors this space and from greater than 40 states, and I believe that’s a testomony to the success that they’ve created right here.”
