Dr. John Little, Chairman of the Board of The Moorings Park Institute, today announced the completion of the transition of leadership at Moorings Park. At a ceremony attended by hundreds of Moorings Park residents, Dan Lavender was formally installed as Chief Executive Officer of The Moorings Institute, the parent organization of Moorings Park.
“This transition is a result of a five?year succession plan,” comments Little. “Our Board is extremely pleased to be in a position to assure continued excellence in our management team so we can maintain the quality of our facilities and services, as well as our strong financial position.”
Lavender joined Moorings Park in 2006 as Chief Financial Officer as part of the effort to build a succession plan. In February of this year, he was appointed Executive Vice President, CEO and Chief Financial Officer as well as Director of The Moorings Park Institute. “We especially value Dan’s long-term planning ability and financial acumen,” concludes Little.
Lavender is the recipient of a Master’s in Business Administration degree from Ohio University, an Ohio Certified Public Accountant license, and a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and Economics from Bluffton College. He has spent the majority of his career serving senior adults. Among his contributions during his tenure at Moorings Park is the major expansion of Moorings Park Community Health, a home health care program that benefits people throughout the community, as well as creating a new revenue stream for the organization. Earlier, he was Chief Financial Officer for Methodist ElderCare Services in Columbus, Ohio, helping to guide it through a period of strategic growth and improving financial performance. Previous assignments included regional and division leadership roles at Ohio Presbyterian Retirement Services, one of the 15 largest multi?site non?profit senior living organizations in the country.
Lavender succeeds Guenther Gosch, who served as CEO for 17 years. In 1993, Guenther came to Naples and envisioned a progressive future for Moorings Park. Upon his arrival, only the northern half of the 83?acre campus was developed. Gosch’s initiatives led to a strategic expansion of facilities and services that have enabled Moorings Park to retain a leadership position among continuing care retirement communities in southwest Florida.
First among these improvements was The Chateau, the premier 106 bed skilled nursing facility that opened in 1999 with a dedication by former Surgeon General Dr. C. Everett Koop. The Bower Chapel, which has become both a spiritual and performing arts center, followed in 2000. Four years later, additional residences in two new buildings became available. Orchid Terrace, the assisted living facility, was expanded to 74 beds in 2007, and last year, three additional residence buildings came on line.
During the 17 years of Gosch’s stewardship the assets of Moorings Park have grown from approximately $60 million to $260 million.
Five years ago, Gosch and the Board embarked on a plan to strengthen the administration of Moorings Park in order to meet the future challenges within an increasingly competitive industry, as well as to prepare for a transition in leadership. This initiative has led to the formation of an outstanding executive team including Dan Lavender; Kent McRae, Chief Operational Officer and Senior Vice President; Trish Biebricher, Vice President of Marketing and Communications; and recently Xan Smith, Chief Financial Officer.
Little adds, “We are also appreciative that we will not lose Guenther’s wise counsel and vast experience, as he will continue to serve on the Board of The Moorings Park Institute, and will become a director of the Bower Chapel Advisory Board, The Foundation for Successful Aging and The Moorings Park Foundation. We may also ask him to represent our organization in various community organizations.”
