New Glenmeadow President and CEO to Begin Work on Nov. 1

 In Client Press Releases

Anne Thomas was formerly a Vice President at JGS Lifecare

LONGMEADOW— Paul Nicholson, Chair of the Board of Directors for Glenmeadow, announced recently that Anne Thomas has accepted the position of President and Chief Executive Officer and will begin work with the nonprofit on Tuesday, Nov. 1.

Thomas most recently served as vice president of residential health at JGS Lifecare in Longmeadow, and she has over 25 years of experience in working with seniors.

“She has strong operational, interpersonal, team-building and financial management skills,” Nicholson said. “Most importantly, though, her career has been devoted solely to older adults, and she is passionate about the people she serves, including the staff members she leads.”

“She has demonstrated that she is a driven leader,” he added.

In the brief interim until Thomas begins her new position, Glenmeadow Controller David Leslie and Assistant Administrator Anne Miller will share the responsibilities of former President and CEO Timothy V. Cotz, who retired on Oct. 5.

Cotz announced his retirement in March to “give our board the opportunity to seek my successor in a thoughtful, planned way.”

Witt/Kieffer, an executive search firm with a specialty in senior living, conducted a national search, which narrowed the field to three finalists; each spent a day at Glenmeadow meeting with residents, board members and staff.

Thomas holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from Providence College in Rhode Island and a master’s in social work from Hunter College in New York.

“I am truly excited about the opportunity to lead Glenmeadow as its next CEO,” Thomas said. “Glenmeadow has earned its stellar reputation by its deep dedication to improving the lives of older adults. As a core value, I have always believed later life should be the best part of life. This philosophy is embedded in the Glenmeadow community, so I was immediately attracted.”

Throughout the interview process, Thomas said she talked with many residents, employees and board members, all of whom expressed their genuine love for Glenmeadow. “Having always worked in elder care, I know the difficulty of achieving this level of confidence,” she said. “My initial goal will be to develop strong relationships with residents, employees and board members. It will be my true pleasure and honor to guide the team. I cannot wait to get started.”

Glenmeadow is a life plan community known for its holistic mission and innovative programs and outreach to the wider community. Once offering services only to residents, the organization now provides services to people living across the greater Springfield area. Through such innovations as Glenmeadow at Home, the Lifestyle Pass and Glenmeadow Learning, area residents have access to services from transportation and care management to education.

Glenmeadow employs a staff of 200 and is proud of the longevity of its employees.

To learn more about Glenmeadow and the history and offerings of its various programs, visit www.glenmeadow.org.

About Glenmeadow

In the 1800s, elderly individuals without family or means were sent to live at what was called “the poor farm.”  In 1884, a group of civic leaders raised funds among themselves and other area families and purchased a house on Main Street in Springfield’s south end. Quickly outgrowing that house, land was purchased on the corner of Chestnut and Carew streets, where a new home was constructed and opened in 1900.  In 1960, the name was changed to Chestnut Knoll, and in 1992, it began to admit men.

In 1993, the organization purchased a 23-acre parcel in Longmeadow to build a new community that would provide both independent living and assisted living in one building with various common areas. This was a new concept known as a continuing care retirement community.  Existing residents from the old Chestnut Knoll property were moved to the new campus in 1997.  Shortly after the move, the board voted to change its legal name to Glenmeadow to coincide with the name being used by the developer of the property.

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