Like many organizations, Kendal at Oberlin has a steady and dependable workforce that ebbs and flows as people move on or retire. Sometimes openings in key positions come in a cluster, which is one reason why succession planning is so important.“ Succession planning is an essential element in planning for Kendal at Oberlin’s future. We need to plan accordingly to protect the continuity, culture, and stability of our amazing organization. When we deliberately develop future leaders, we honor the knowledge of today while ensuring the mission will thrive for the next generation of residents and staff,” says CEO Seth Vilensky.
Two Kendal departments – Sales and Marketing and Finance – are in the succession spotlight this spring. Retiring after more than 30 years of service are Terry Kovach, Director of Sales and Marketing, and Judy Miller, Director of IT/Accounting. Another recent retirement in Finance – accountant Cherie Ridge – left the department with two vacancies. Photographed above is the entire finance team with the new team members.
First let’s look at Sales and Marketing, a highly visible department given that its mission is to find prospective residents from across the country and handle all the details for their successful move.
Terry’s retirement presented an opportunity to reorganize the Sales and Marketing department to better fulfill this mission. CEO Seth will now oversee the department, which will be run by new hire Nick McConnell, Associate Director of Sales, and Kelly Corcoran, who has worked at Kendal five years and now takes on the role of Associate Director of Marketing and Communications.
Rounding out the department are JoDee Palmer, who joined Kendal in 2000 and will take on the job of Sales Counselor, and new hire Hannah Brod, Sales & Marketing Analysis Assistant.
Nick’s background includes Licensed Nursing Home Administrator for Signature Healthcare and Sales Director for StoryPoint Senior Living in Columbus.
“From the very beginning, the Kendal community stood apart from anything I’ve experienced in senior living. The resident‑driven approach reflected a level of engagement and respect that I have not experienced in my career. Additionally, the long tenure of staff, particularly among department leaders, spoke volumes about the strength of Kendal’s culture. Most meaningful to me was the clear alignment between my personal values and Quaker principles. Together, these factors are what led me to know that Kendal was the right next step,” Nick says.
As a dog lover, Nick says an added bonus of working at Kendal is that it’s home to a couple dozen dogs. “I have a miniature dachshund, Daisy, who I adore. And I enjoy interacting with the many dogs on campus.,” he says.
As Chief Financial Officer, Ann O’Malley has two new employees.
Nancy Marks is Kendal’s new Controller. She has worked in long term care for nearly 30 years, including Legacy Health Services, Eliza Jennings Senior Care Network and Lutheran Home at Concord Reserve, all in Northeast Ohio.
“Kendal at Oberlin has always had an excellent reputation in the industry,” Nancy says.
For Nancy, an added bonus of working at Kendal is its green space. “I love the outdoors and look forward to walking around our gorgeous campus when the weather gets a little better,” she says.
Lynn Born joins Kendal as its Staff Accountant. She first visited Kendal with her high school caroling group, later helping residents with their tax returns through her job.
“The job opportunity at Kendal seemed like the perfect mix of being able to apply the skills I already had and learning new things. As someone exploring the religion of Quakerism and attending meetings at Kendal, it is important to me to value continuous learning, among other values, and I believe this organization encourages and fosters that never ending growth in their employees,” she says.
For Lynn, the added bonus is that her Kendal job is 9-5 so she can continue her 5-9 job – caring for a flock of about 200 sheep with her fiancé.
“I sell the lambs to local people who want lamb for their freezer and people who want to raise sheep themselves, but the majority of my lambs go to an auction in central Ohio where they are bought by restaurants on the East coast,” she says. “Managing this many sheep can be a challenge at times, but it is so rewarding to see the results of my hard work jumping around in the field and enjoying the sunshine.”