A Senior's Paradise

Development & Design Trends in Housing, and Why Seniors Want To Live In The Region's Hipsturbias

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  Scott Gensler

  Scott Gensler identifies and evaluates new business opportunities for Erickson Living. He has an impressive knowledge of key aspects of the senior living business, including development, acquisitions, finance, sales and marketing, and operations. Scott holds an M.B.A. from the Sellinger School of Business at Loyola College and a B.S. from the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University. He serves as the vice chair of the Fund for Educational Excellence, a local education fund working to improve student achievement in Baltimore City schools. He also serves on the board of the JCC of Greater Baltimore and Beth Israel Congregation.

  Erickson Living

  VP

  Scott Gensler

  VP

  Erickson Living

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  Ken Assiran

  Prior to the formation of Capital Health Group, Mr. Assiran formed the Investment Banking Division of the GMS Group, LLC, in 1997. He has been managing financing groups in the senior housing industry since 1990 and has undertaken financings with leading senior housing companies such as Marriott, Genesis Health Ventures and numerous others. As part of undertaking various investments, Mr. Assiran has focused on investments in acquisitions of distressed debt and real estate in the senior housing industry. Prior to joining GMS, Mr. Assiran was the Managing Director of the High Yield Debt Group at A.H. Williams & Co., Inc. His efforts led A.H. Williams to a leadership position in the senior housing finance industry. Prior to joining A.H. Williams & Co., Inc., he was a Vice President at Wertheim Schroeder in New York. Mr. Assiran served as a member of the Board of Directors of the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing, the premier industry organization for the seniors housing industry, from 2001-2005. He has a B.A. in History from Upsala College and attended Boston University’s School of City Planning.

  Capital Health Group

  Managing Principal

  Ken Assiran

  Managing Principal

  Capital Health Group

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  Chris Porter

  Mr. Porter currently serves as the President and CFO of Silverstone Healthcare Company, LLC (SHC) and its affiliate, Silverstone Senior Living, LLC (Silverstone). Prior to joining Silverstone, Mr. Porter served as Treasurer of DynCorp International responsible for debt financing, banking relationships, global cash management, risk management and investor relations. Prior to joining DynCorp, Mr. Porter served 10 years as Managing Director and Co-CFO of Crescent Real Estate Equities. While at Crescent, Mr. Porter raised over $4.5 billion in debt and equity. He was a key member of the negotiating team involved in selling Crescent to Morgan Stanley Real Estate. Prior to joining Crescent, Mr. Porter served as Senior Vice President of investor relations for the Associates First Capital Corporation in Las Colinas, TX. Mr. Porter has a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master’s degree in finance from the University of North Texas

  Silverstone Senior Housing

  President & CFO

  Chris Porter

  President & CFO

  Silverstone Senior Housing

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  Dora Kay

  With more than 30 years of experience, Dora Kay, AIA, has provided project management and oversight for senior living facilities across the country. Her passion for architecture and people is inherent in her work, mindset, and dedication to achieving the best solution for clients and residents. Based out of Moseley Architects’ office in Fairfax, VA, Dora offers expertise gained from her experience designing a variety of project types including independent living, assisted living, memory care, and affordable housing.

  Moseley Architects

  VP

  Dora Kay

  VP

  Moseley Architects

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  Connie Wittich

  Connie Wittich, the founding partner of Metropolitan Studio, brings more than twenty-five-year experience in design, project development, and management. We arrive at business solutions by working hand in hand with the management team, design professionals, and conducting design workshops. In Connie’s work for senior living projects, her consistent goal is to create timeless, innovative environments that encourage active thinking, independence, adventure, interaction, and socialization among its residents. The most successful senior living projects combine the maximal engineering of a multitude of easily accessible spaces with an environment that generates a high degree of excitement and pride in both the residents and people who work there. The focus on wellness, hospitality, culinary experience, creative venues, multi-functional spaces form the backdrop for new experiences, friendships, and memorable events. Color, natural light, lighting design, use of natural materials, and the arrangement of space are the basics that do have a significant impact on peoples’ daily emotions and energy as you live, work and play in the environment over a long period. The intent to fully understand the owners’ business model, including life-cycle project costs, contributes to the long term financial viability of a project along with a proven record of producing designs that increase sales. She played a significant role in the branding of the Erickson Retirement Communities during the early years. She had a vital role in developing the corporate building standardization tools to efficiently expand the large scale Erickson Retirement Communities across the country. She currently assists companies to identify their path for senior living communities by creating teams and mapping out strategies to expand upon clients’ visions. She is a founding partner in Current IE, which provides turn-key solutions for the procurement and installation of the interior product for hospitality and senior living communities.

  Metropolitan Studio

  Founding Partner

  Moderator

  Connie Wittich

  Founding Partner

  Metropolitan Studio

Affordability in Senior Housing

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  Sheila Miller

  Ms. Sheila Miller is the Managing Principal at Madysen Capital Advisors. Madysen Capital Advisors is a real estate advisory services firm that specializes in providing community development financing solutions and technical assistance for real estate projects in underserved and disadvantaged communities. Ms. Miller’s vast experience in the multifamily industry includes both public and private sector engagement. Previously she was the Vice President of Multifamily and 55+ Housing Industry at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). At NAHB, Ms. Miller provided leadership and direction for the Multifamily Division, including overseeing and managing the NAHB Multifamily Leadership Board as well as member recruitment and marketing for the Multifamily and 55+ councils. Prior to joining NAHB, Ms. Miller worked at Fannie Mae for nearly 18 years, where she held various positions in the Multifamily Mortgage Business division. She served as a Director of the Fannie Mae American Communities Fund Tax Credit program, Director of Community Investments, Project Manager for the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Program HFA Financial Assistance which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Ms. Miller was also the Chief of Staff for the Executive Vice President of Fannie Mae’s Multifamily Mortgage Business and was responsible for coordinating and executing division-wide strategic initiatives. The last position Ms. Miller held at Fannie Mae was the Director of Seniors Housing Loan Production and Lender Relationships. In that capacity she was responsible for the day-to-day oversight and strategic direction of the seniors housing loan production platform as well as structuring and negotiating seniors housing loans and credit facilities. As the Director, Ms. Miller personally negotiated and closed over $1 billion in seniors housing loan transactions between 2014 and 2015. Ms. Miller is a graduate of Howard University where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Economics. Ms. Miller is a native Washingtonian. She grew up in and remains a resident of Ward 5.

  DHCD

  Deputy Director

  Sheila Miller

  Deputy Director

  DHCD

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  Nichole Doyle Battle

  CEO

  GEDCO

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  Michael Wiencek Jr

  Mr. Wiencek is the President of the Washington, DC based Wiencek + Associates Architects + Planners that he established in 1986. With a passion for social justice, Mr. Wiencek created a new perspective of bringing award winning, quality design to community areas known as economically disadvantage and marginalized by society. His philosophy of “Design Empowering People” has been the focus of all of his projects. The firm has designed over 85,000 units of Multi- Family and Senior Housing projects from Luxury to Affordable, with an emphasis on Green, Sustainable, and Healthy solutions, acting as a catalyst for change in their neighborhoods. Mr. Wiencek was instrumental in demonstrating how innovative and creative design, programming and neighborhood interaction, can create communities of pride; nurturing a greater sense of belonging, hope and opportunity for residents. His efforts have garnered over 150 design awards, many in the category of affordable housing design. He is very active in leadership and social responsibility within the local, national, and international community, serving on numerous boards and committees including; The Housing Opportunity Commission of Montgomery County, MD Commissioner; The Affordable Housing Conference Board; Habitat For Humanity Metro Maryland Board; Open Door Housing Fund Board; CNA/Shinnerer Insurance Architectural Advisory Panel; ULI Affordable Housing Council Member; Maryland Board of Historic District Commissions, and others and is a major contributor to local and national organizations focused on quality housing and social equity.

  Wiencek + Associates

  President

  Michael Wiencek Jr

  President

  Wiencek + Associates

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  Candace Robinson

  As Director of Strategic Aging Initiatives at Capital Impact Partners, Mrs. Robinson assists communities, foundations, states, and the federal government in the development of community based, long term supports options, systems and sustained infrastructure to expand access for older adults to age in their communities with dignity and choice. Capital Impact Partners is a national, nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). Capital Impact delivers strategic financing, incubates new social programs, and provides capacity- building to help ensure that low-to-moderate income individuals have access to quality healthcare and education, healthy foods, affordable housing, and the ability to age with dignity. Mrs. Robinson leads the corporate health and aging strategies for Capital Impact Partners and is currently leading a two year statewide initiative to evaluate and replicate the Assisted Living Program in New Jersey. Since 2004, Mrs. Robinson has supported Capital Impact Partners aging strategy to foster innovative solutions at the intersection of aging, community development and healthcare. These efforts have included the design, development and scale of the national Coming Home Program to expand affordable assisted living services, the Village to Village Network supporting a peer to peer network of grassroots, membership based organizations that foster neighbor to neighbor connections to support aging in the community, and most recently the $60M AgeStrong investment fund. Mrs. Robinson has over 25 years of experience in the community development industry, including guiding Capital Impact’s Aging in Community strategy and innovation to increase choice, access and independence for vulnerable older adults. She is currently leading a national series of roundtables on how Federally Qualified Health Centers can better serve an aging population and is part of the National Home Care Cooperative Steering Committee to design inclusive, equitable solutions to expanding the direct care workforce. She provided the strategic direction – including serving as Co-Founder/Director - to replicate the national Village the Village Network. Mrs. Robinson serves on the steering committee for the National Rural Aging Initiative of Grantmakers in Aging and is a board member for the Capitol Hill Village. She currently serves as President of the Cedar Grove Park Homeowners Association. She holds a B.S. in Public Policy from Indiana University, Masters in Community Economic Development from Southern New Hampshire University and is a certified Economic Development Finance Professional by the National Development Council.

  Capital Impact Partners

  Director

  Moderator

  Candace Robinson

  Director

  Capital Impact Partners

The Silver Tsunami Wish List

What Tech, Amenities, and More Seniors Want To See In Senior Housing

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  Scott Stewart

  Scott Stewart is the Founder and Managing Partner of Capitol Seniors Housing (CSH), a national seniors housing investment firm. CSH is a joint venture partner with one of the largest university endowments in the United States, and in 2013 became the first partner in the endowment’s direct investment business to recognize the sale of a portfolio of assets. CSH also partners with The Carlyle Group (Carlyle), one of the world’s largest private equity groups with $185.0 billion under management. Both CSH and Carlyle are headquartered in Washington, D.C. CSH was formed in the fall of 2003 with a mission to opportunistically acquire, develop and own independent living, assisted living and continuum of care retirement communities (CCRCs) in major U.S. markets. CSH utilizes third party operators to manage the facilities on a fee or joint venture basis. To date, the company has amassed a nationwide portfolio of more than 50 assets valued at more than $1.0 billion. CSH has also realized a combined gross profit of $335 million for its investors with the timely sale of certain assets within a seven year period. This track record has enabled the company to post an overall portfolio IRR in excess of 52%. Prior to forming CSH, Mr. Stewart ran the Acquisitions Group for Sunrise Senior Living, one of the country’s premier seniors housing service providers. Before that, he headed up the acquisitions, development and construction efforts for Homestead Village, Security Capital Group’s extended-stay hotel company. Throughout his career, Stewart has been a featured speaker at industry events, most recently with the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC) and InterFace Seniors Housing Business. Mr. Stewart is currently an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University, teaching the class “Multifamily, Affordable & Seniors Housing” (MPRE 709-40) for the university’s Masters in Real Estate Program. Active in the community, he is also a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and serves on the boards of the American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA) and Hopecam, a nonprofit organization that uses technology to connect children undergoing cancer treatment with their classmates. In 2013, he founded Seniors4Seniors, a scholarship program that rewards college-bound high school seniors who have demonstrated active, consistent and dedicated involvement in their local seniors housing communities. Mr. Stewart earned an MBA from Harvard Business School in Boston, Massachusetts and a BBA from The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

  Capitol Seniors Housing

  Founder & Managing Partner

  Scott Stewart

  Founder & Managing Partner

  Capitol Seniors Housing

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  Robert Liebreich

  “When I arrive at Goodwin House, I think about how to uplift those who touch us: residents, members, employees and guests. I listen. I watch. I try to say hello to everyone and engage in the present.” Robert “Rob” Liebreich was appointed President and CEO of Goodwin House Incorporated in May 2019. His energy, compassion and creative drive, as well as his proven leadership in senior living, set him apart during a competitive six-month national search for the new Goodwin House CEO. Prior to joining Goodwin House, Rob was the executive director of the Asbury Methodist Village (AMV), a not-for-profit continuing care retirement community in Gaithersburg, MD. He has also held senior positions in marketing and operations for senior living organizations in the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan area and the Pacific Northwest. Rob studied Business Administration and International Business and Marketing at Georgetown University, and holds a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Senior Care and Housing from Johns Hopkins Univers

  Goodwin House

  CEO

  Robert Liebreich

  CEO

  Goodwin House

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  Toni Harris

  TONI R. HARRIS, CPM®, ARM® Managing Partner Latonia “Toni” Harris, CPM®, ARM® is 20+ year Multi-Family Industry Professional. Following eight years of military service after graduating high school, Toni began her property management career working for National Housing Partnership (NHP) as a Recertification Specialist. Her climb to success was propelled by superior performance. Advancing through her career she has excelled in various positions such as Leasing Manager, Property Manager, Marketing Director and Regional Property Manager. Toni is a consummate professional seeking quality performance and an advocate for furthering education. Toni has capitalized on industry networking and education opportunities by becoming involved in leading trade associations including the Property Management Association (PMA) and the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM). Toni is an Accredited Residential Manager® (ARM®) and a Certified Property Manager® (CPM®). She has served in various leadership roles including president of IREM Maryland Chapter 16 and chairperson of the PMA programming committee. She currently services on the Board of Directors for the Property Management Association of DC. Passionate about her love of professional development, Toni was responsible for chartering two local Toastmasters Clubs where members improve their public speaking skills. She is currently an Executive Committee member with IREM Maryland Chapter 16, an instructor for the CAM and CAPS course through MMHA (NAA) and an IREM National Instructor. Toni has received numerous awards throughout her career including CPM® of the Year by IREM Maryland Chapter 16 in 2014. She is often called upon for local speaking engagements and training throughout the multi-family industry.

  KAT Professional Development

  Founder | CEO

  Toni Harris

  Founder | CEO

  KAT Professional Development

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  David Schless

  Founded in 1991 and based in Washington, DC, the American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA) represents the interests of the most prominent firms participating in seniors housing. ASHA’s members are engaged in all aspects of the development and operation of seniors housing, including construction, finance and management. ASHA provides leadership for the seniors housing industry on legislative and regulatory matters, advances research, education and the exchange of strategic business information, and promotes the merits of seniors housing. David has served as president of ASHA since its inception in 1991 after beginning his career at the National Association for Senior Living Industries (NASLI) in 1989. In addition to his duties as president of ASHA, David serves as treasurer of the Seniors Housing Political Action Committee, the nation’s largest PAC focused exclusively on supporting federal candidates who support the development and preservation of quality market rate seniors housing. He was the co-author of the Affordable Seniors Housing Handbook, which was revised and published 10 times between 1995 and 2005. David holds a bachelor of science degree from the Center for Aging and Human Development at the University of Connecticut and a master of science degree from the Department of Applied Gerontology at the University of North Texas. He currently serves on the Editorial board of The Seniors Housing & Care Journal, and has been honored as a Distinguished Alumnus by both the University of Connecticut and the University of North Texas for his work on behalf of America’s seniors.

  American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA)

  President

  David Schless

  President

  American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA)

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  Janet Meyer

  Janet has been involved in a wide range of projects in both private and public sectors, throughout her career, specializing in multi-generational housing. Her responsibilities include design, project management, construction documentation, and construction administration. Having overseen the design and construction of 2000+ units in her 20-year career, Janet brings a strong mix of creative design and practical insights to her projects. Her senior living work challenges the traditional senior housing model by taking a holistic “place making” approach to the site selection and design. She aspires to create an integrated experience for the residents by maximizing connections to, and opportunities with, adjacent retail and hospitality uses. She believes that successful residential projects—whether for seniors or millennials—require solid design principles, creativity and comprehensive market knowledge combined with the appropriate amenities.

  BCT Architects

  Principal

  Janet Meyer

  Principal

  BCT Architects

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  Tad Melton

  Tad Melton is a managing director in the senior living finance practice and he brings more than 20 years of investment banking experience working with senior living and healthcare borrowers in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States. Prior to joining Ziegler, Tad had a highly successful career in healthcare and senior living finance with BB&T and UBS Paine Webber. He has served as day-to day banker on approximately $4.5 billion of financings for CCRCs, assisted living facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and hospitals. Project scope included start-ups, repositionings, refinancings, acquisitions and divestitures. In the context of such experience, Tad has direct experience with fixed-rate debt (rated and unrated), variable rate debt (bank loans, BQ loans, variable rate demand bonds), bond ratings, reinvestment contracts, and third-party credit enhancement. Tad is a graduate of Randolph-Macon College, where he studied economics and history. He is a member of the Professional Development Committee of South Carolina Leading Age. Tad is also active in his community, currently serving on the board of trustees of Randolph-Macon College, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond and is a past Chair of the Virginia 4-H Foundation.

  Ziegler

  Managing Director

  Moderator

  Tad Melton

  Managing Director

  Ziegler