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Board of Directors
Non-Executive Chairman
Guy P. Sansone joined Brookdale’s Board in October 2019 and became Non-Executive Chairman of the Board in January 2020. He is an independent director. For more than 25 years, he has led efforts to optimize the performance of healthcare and senior housing companies. Mr. Sansone has served as Chairman and CEO of H2 Health, a leading regional provider of physical rehabilitation services and clinician staffing solutions, since February 2020. Prior to that, he served as a Managing Director of Alvarez & Marsal, a global professional services firm specializing in performance improvement for large, high profile businesses, where he served as Chairman of the firm’s Healthcare Industry Group, which he founded in 2004. Mr. Sansone also served as interim Chief Executive Officer of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York, the largest non-profit home and community-based health care organization in the United States, from November 2014 to December 2016 and, prior to that, served in various executive roles at numerous healthcare companies. His prior experience in the senior housing industry includes having served as Chief Restructuring Officer and a member of the Board of Erickson Retirement Communities and as a senior consultant to Sunrise Senior Living. Mr. Sansone has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of MEDNAX, Inc. since July 2020. He previously served on the Board of Directors of Magellan Health, Inc. from March 2019 until its acquisition in January 2022 and the Board of Directors of Civitas Solutions, Inc. from 2009 until its acquisition in March 2019. He also serves and has served on the Boards of Directors of numerous investor-owned and not-for-profit companies, primarily in the healthcare industry. Mr. Sansone earned a B.S. in Economics from the State University of New York at Albany.
Non-Executive Chairman
Guy P. Sansone joined Brookdale’s Board in October 2019 and became Non-Executive Chairman of the Board in January 2020. He is an independent director. For more than 25 years, he has led efforts to optimize the performance of healthcare and senior housing companies. Mr. Sansone has served as Chairman and CEO of H2 Health, a leading regional provider of physical rehabilitation services and clinician staffing solutions, since February 2020. Prior to that, he served as a Managing Director of Alvarez & Marsal, a global professional services firm specializing in performance improvement for large, high profile businesses, where he served as Chairman of the firm’s Healthcare Industry Group, which he founded in 2004. Mr. Sansone also served as interim Chief Executive Officer of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York, the largest non-profit home and community-based health care organization in the United States, from November 2014 to December 2016 and, prior to that, served in various executive roles at numerous healthcare companies. His prior experience in the senior housing industry includes having served as Chief Restructuring Officer and a member of the Board of Erickson Retirement Communities and as a senior consultant to Sunrise Senior Living. Mr. Sansone has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of MEDNAX, Inc. since July 2020. He previously served on the Board of Directors of Magellan Health, Inc. from March 2019 until its acquisition in January 2022 and the Board of Directors of Civitas Solutions, Inc. from 2009 until its acquisition in March 2019. He also serves and has served on the Boards of Directors of numerous investor-owned and not-for-profit companies, primarily in the healthcare industry. Mr. Sansone earned a B.S. in Economics from the State University of New York at Albany.
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
Lucinda (“Cindy”) Baier is the President, Chief Executive Officer, and a member of the Board of Directors of Brookdale Senior Living, the nation's premier operator of senior living communities. As of year-end 2021, the $2.8 billion company operates nearly 700 senior living communities and has the ability to serve approximately 60,000 residents through its independent living, assisted living, memory care, and continuing care retirement communities. The company's 30,000+ employees are taking care of America's seniors.
Ms. Baier became Brookdale's President, Chief Executive Officer, and a member of the Board of Directors on February 28, 2018. From the beginning, she initiated the company's operational turnaround strategy and developed the “Winning Locally” action plan. Within her second year, the company's Net Promoter Score® increased 20%. In her third year as CEO in 2020, J.D. Power recognized the company as #1 in customer satisfaction (in a tie) in assisted living/memory care communities. As CEO, she led the company through the largest public health crisis in 100 years by prioritizing the health and well-being of its residents, patients, and associates. She focused the company’s efforts on increasing diversity, including the Board and executive leadership team approaching gender parity in 2020. Ms. Baier led Brookdale's efforts to negotiate and restructure leases with its largest three REIT partners. She led the company through the sale of assets, including Brookdale's interest in the unconsolidated entry CCRC ventures and the majority share of its home health, hospice, and outpatient therapy business. These deals unlocked significant value for Brookdale and shareholders. In 2022 Baier published her first book Heroes Work Here: An Extraordinary Story of Courage, Resilience, and Hope from the Front Lines of COVID-19 in which she shares how she and her team led Brookdale through the COVID-19 pandemic. Then in late 2022 J.D. Power once again recognized Brookdale as #1 in customer satisfaction (in a tie) in assisted living/memory care communities.
Ms. Baier has served more than a decade as a board member for public and private companies. Currently, she is on the board of directors of Argentum, the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC), and the Nashville Health Care Council, where she serves as Vice-Chair. She is a member of the NYSE Board Advisory Council, which identifies and connects diverse board candidates to NYSE-listed companies seeking new directors, and serves on the Vanderbilt University Medical Center Board.
A number of organizations have recognized Ms. Baier. Some of her awards and honors include Amazon Best Selling Author; named to Nashville Business Journal’s “Most Admired CEO” list in 2022 for the third time; CEO Forum Group’s 2021 Top 10 CEOs Transforming Healthcare in America; Nashville Medical News’ Class of 2021 “Women to Watch”; Corporate Citizenship 2020 Award from the Committee for Economic Development of The Conference Board; and one of McKnight's 2020 "Women of Distinction".
Before becoming CEO of Brookdale, Ms. Baier was the company's Chief Financial Officer beginning in December 2015. In addition to experience as a seasoned chief financial officer for several companies, she has been responsible for multi-billion-dollar operations, the chief executive officer for a publicly-traded retailer, and served as an executive officer of a Fortune 30 company.
Ms. Baier is a Certified Public Accountant and a graduate of Illinois State University, with Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Accounting.
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
Lucinda (“Cindy”) Baier is the President, Chief Executive Officer, and a member of the Board of Directors of Brookdale Senior Living, the nation's premier operator of senior living communities. As of year-end 2021, the $2.8 billion company operates nearly 700 senior living communities and has the ability to serve approximately 60,000 residents through its independent living, assisted living, memory care, and continuing care retirement communities. The company's 30,000+ employees are taking care of America's seniors.
Ms. Baier became Brookdale's President, Chief Executive Officer, and a member of the Board of Directors on February 28, 2018. From the beginning, she initiated the company's operational turnaround strategy and developed the “Winning Locally” action plan. Within her second year, the company's Net Promoter Score® increased 20%. In her third year as CEO in 2020, J.D. Power recognized the company as #1 in customer satisfaction (in a tie) in assisted living/memory care communities. As CEO, she led the company through the largest public health crisis in 100 years by prioritizing the health and well-being of its residents, patients, and associates. She focused the company’s efforts on increasing diversity, including the Board and executive leadership team approaching gender parity in 2020. Ms. Baier led Brookdale's efforts to negotiate and restructure leases with its largest three REIT partners. She led the company through the sale of assets, including Brookdale's interest in the unconsolidated entry CCRC ventures and the majority share of its home health, hospice, and outpatient therapy business. These deals unlocked significant value for Brookdale and shareholders. In 2022 Baier published her first book Heroes Work Here: An Extraordinary Story of Courage, Resilience, and Hope from the Front Lines of COVID-19 in which she shares how she and her team led Brookdale through the COVID-19 pandemic. Then in late 2022 J.D. Power once again recognized Brookdale as #1 in customer satisfaction (in a tie) in assisted living/memory care communities.
Ms. Baier has served more than a decade as a board member for public and private companies. Currently, she is on the board of directors of Argentum, the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC), and the Nashville Health Care Council, where she serves as Vice-Chair. She is a member of the NYSE Board Advisory Council, which identifies and connects diverse board candidates to NYSE-listed companies seeking new directors, and serves on the Vanderbilt University Medical Center Board.
A number of organizations have recognized Ms. Baier. Some of her awards and honors include Amazon Best Selling Author; named to Nashville Business Journal’s “Most Admired CEO” list in 2022 for the third time; CEO Forum Group’s 2021 Top 10 CEOs Transforming Healthcare in America; Nashville Medical News’ Class of 2021 “Women to Watch”; Corporate Citizenship 2020 Award from the Committee for Economic Development of The Conference Board; and one of McKnight's 2020 "Women of Distinction".
Before becoming CEO of Brookdale, Ms. Baier was the company's Chief Financial Officer beginning in December 2015. In addition to experience as a seasoned chief financial officer for several companies, she has been responsible for multi-billion-dollar operations, the chief executive officer for a publicly-traded retailer, and served as an executive officer of a Fortune 30 company.
Ms. Baier is a Certified Public Accountant and a graduate of Illinois State University, with Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Accounting.
Director
Jordan R. Asher, M.D., M.S., joined Brookdale’s Board of Directors in February 2020 as an independent director and brings more than 20 years of expertise and a history of success in large matrixed, mission-based, national healthcare systems. Since 2018, he has served as the Chief Physician Executive and Senior Vice President of Sentara Healthcare, a large integrated delivery health system including a clinically integrated network and insurance company serving Virginia and North Carolina, where he has a wide range of responsibilities, including a focus on growth strategies for clinical care and development and implementation of value-based care and payment models. Prior to Sentara, Dr. Asher served in several executive roles with Ascension since 2006, including Chief Clinical Officer of its Ascension Care Management subsidiary from 2016 to 2018 with responsibility for network development and population and risk management, Chief Clinical Officer and Chief Innovation Officer of Ascension’s MissionPoint Health Partners subsidiary from 2015 to 2016, and Chief Medical Officer and Chief Integration Officer of MissionPoint Health Partners from 2011 to 2015. Dr. Asher earned a B.S. in Biology from Emory University, an M.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, and an M.S. in Medical Management from the University of Texas at Dallas and Southwestern Medical Center.
Director
Jordan R. Asher, M.D., M.S., joined Brookdale’s Board of Directors in February 2020 as an independent director and brings more than 20 years of expertise and a history of success in large matrixed, mission-based, national healthcare systems. Since 2018, he has served as the Chief Physician Executive and Senior Vice President of Sentara Healthcare, a large integrated delivery health system including a clinically integrated network and insurance company serving Virginia and North Carolina, where he has a wide range of responsibilities, including a focus on growth strategies for clinical care and development and implementation of value-based care and payment models. Prior to Sentara, Dr. Asher served in several executive roles with Ascension since 2006, including Chief Clinical Officer of its Ascension Care Management subsidiary from 2016 to 2018 with responsibility for network development and population and risk management, Chief Clinical Officer and Chief Innovation Officer of Ascension’s MissionPoint Health Partners subsidiary from 2015 to 2016, and Chief Medical Officer and Chief Integration Officer of MissionPoint Health Partners from 2011 to 2015. Dr. Asher earned a B.S. in Biology from Emory University, an M.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, and an M.S. in Medical Management from the University of Texas at Dallas and Southwestern Medical Center.
Director
Marcus E. Bromley joined Brookdale’s Board of Directors in July 2017 as an independent director and brings more than 35 years of real estate industry leadership experience. He served as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Gables Residential Trust from 1993 until 2000, and then as a member of its Board until the company was acquired in 2005. Prior to joining Gables Residential Trust, Mr. Bromley was a division partner for the Southeast operation of Trammell Crow Residential Company. He currently serves as a member of the advisory board of Nancy Creek Capital Management, LLC, a private mezzanine debt and equity investment firm, and Sealy Industrial Partners, a private partnership specializing in the acquisition and operation of various industrial real estate properties. Previously, Mr. Bromley served as a member of the Boards of several non-listed real estate investment trusts: Cole Credit Property Trust V, Inc. from March 2015 until its acquisition by CIM Mortgage Finance Trust (CMFT) in December 2020, including serving as its Non-Executive Chairman from June 2015 to August 2018; CMFT from January 2021 until December 2021; Cole Credit Property Trust III, Inc. from 2008 until 2012; Cole Credit Property Trust II, Inc. from 2005 until 2013; and Cole Corporate Income Trust, Inc. from 2011 until 2015. Mr. Bromley holds a B.S. in Economics from Washington & Lee University and an M.B.A. from the University of North Carolina.
Director
Marcus E. Bromley joined Brookdale’s Board of Directors in July 2017 as an independent director and brings more than 35 years of real estate industry leadership experience. He served as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Gables Residential Trust from 1993 until 2000, and then as a member of its Board until the company was acquired in 2005. Prior to joining Gables Residential Trust, Mr. Bromley was a division partner for the Southeast operation of Trammell Crow Residential Company. He currently serves as a member of the advisory board of Nancy Creek Capital Management, LLC, a private mezzanine debt and equity investment firm, and Sealy Industrial Partners, a private partnership specializing in the acquisition and operation of various industrial real estate properties. Previously, Mr. Bromley served as a member of the Boards of several non-listed real estate investment trusts: Cole Credit Property Trust V, Inc. from March 2015 until its acquisition by CIM Mortgage Finance Trust (CMFT) in December 2020, including serving as its Non-Executive Chairman from June 2015 to August 2018; CMFT from January 2021 until December 2021; Cole Credit Property Trust III, Inc. from 2008 until 2012; Cole Credit Property Trust II, Inc. from 2005 until 2013; and Cole Corporate Income Trust, Inc. from 2011 until 2015. Mr. Bromley holds a B.S. in Economics from Washington & Lee University and an M.B.A. from the University of North Carolina.
Director
Frank M. Bumstead has over 40 years' experience in the field of business and investment management and financial and investment advisory services, including representing buyers and sellers in a number of merger and acquisition transactions. Mr. Bumstead is a principal shareholder of Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc., a business management firm that represents artists, songwriters and producers in the music industry as well as athletes and other high net worth clients, and has been with the firm since 1989. From 1993 to December 1998, Mr. Bumstead served as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of FBMS Financial, Inc., a registered investment advisor. Mr. Bumstead joined Brookdale’s Board of Directors in August 2006 and is an independent director. Prior to the Company’s acquisition of American Retirement Corporation (“ARC”), Mr. Bumstead served as the Lead Director of ARC, where he had served as a member of the Board of Directors for 11 years. Mr. Bumstead served on the Board of Directors of Syntroleum Corporation from 1993 to 2014. In addition, he previously served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Country Music Association, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Finance and Investment Committee of the Memorial Foundation, Inc., a charitable foundation, and as a member of the Board of Advisors of United Supermarkets of Texas, LLC and was Chairman of its Finance and Audit Committee. Mr. Bumstead received a B.B.A. degree from Southern Methodist University and a Masters of Business Management from Vanderbilt University’s Owen School of Management.
Director
Frank M. Bumstead has over 40 years' experience in the field of business and investment management and financial and investment advisory services, including representing buyers and sellers in a number of merger and acquisition transactions. Mr. Bumstead is a principal shareholder of Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc., a business management firm that represents artists, songwriters and producers in the music industry as well as athletes and other high net worth clients, and has been with the firm since 1989. From 1993 to December 1998, Mr. Bumstead served as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of FBMS Financial, Inc., a registered investment advisor. Mr. Bumstead joined Brookdale’s Board of Directors in August 2006 and is an independent director. Prior to the Company’s acquisition of American Retirement Corporation (“ARC”), Mr. Bumstead served as the Lead Director of ARC, where he had served as a member of the Board of Directors for 11 years. Mr. Bumstead served on the Board of Directors of Syntroleum Corporation from 1993 to 2014. In addition, he previously served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Country Music Association, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Finance and Investment Committee of the Memorial Foundation, Inc., a charitable foundation, and as a member of the Board of Advisors of United Supermarkets of Texas, LLC and was Chairman of its Finance and Audit Committee. Mr. Bumstead received a B.B.A. degree from Southern Methodist University and a Masters of Business Management from Vanderbilt University’s Owen School of Management.
Director
Victoria L. Freed joined Brookdale’s Board in October 2019 and is an independent director. She brings more than 25 years of executive leadership in the areas of sales, customer service and marketing, and has earned numerous awards for outstanding achievement in sales and marketing during her career. Ms. Freed is Senior Vice President of Sales, Trade Support and Service for Royal Caribbean International, having served in that role since 2008, where she oversees the largest sales team in the cruise line industry and also manages the company’s consumer outreach, reservations, group sales and customer service functions. Prior to her service with Royal Caribbean, Ms. Freed worked for 29 years with Carnival Cruise Lines, where she served as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing during the last 15 years of her tenure. Ms. Freed served on the Board of Directors of ILG, Inc. (f/k/a Interval Leisure Group, Inc.) from 2012 until its acquisition by Marriott Vacations Worldwide in 2018. She is a trustee of the United Way of Miami-Dade County and serves as a member of the board of Jewish Adoption and Foster Care Options (JAFCO). Ms. Freed earned a bachelor’s degree in business with an emphasis in marketing from the University of Colorado.
Director
Victoria L. Freed joined Brookdale’s Board in October 2019 and is an independent director. She brings more than 25 years of executive leadership in the areas of sales, customer service and marketing, and has earned numerous awards for outstanding achievement in sales and marketing during her career. Ms. Freed is Senior Vice President of Sales, Trade Support and Service for Royal Caribbean International, having served in that role since 2008, where she oversees the largest sales team in the cruise line industry and also manages the company’s consumer outreach, reservations, group sales and customer service functions. Prior to her service with Royal Caribbean, Ms. Freed worked for 29 years with Carnival Cruise Lines, where she served as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing during the last 15 years of her tenure. Ms. Freed served on the Board of Directors of ILG, Inc. (f/k/a Interval Leisure Group, Inc.) from 2012 until its acquisition by Marriott Vacations Worldwide in 2018. She is a trustee of the United Way of Miami-Dade County and serves as a member of the board of Jewish Adoption and Foster Care Options (JAFCO). Ms. Freed earned a bachelor’s degree in business with an emphasis in marketing from the University of Colorado.
Director
Denise W. Warren joined Brookdale’s Board in October 2018 as an independent director. Ms. Warren brings more than 30 years of operational, financial and healthcare experience. Most recently, she served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of WakeMed Health & Hospitals from October 2015 through December 2020, where she was responsible for the strategic, financial and operational performance of the organization's network of facilities in the North Carolina Research Triangle area. Prior to that, from 2005 to September 2015, Ms. Warren served as Chief Financial Officer of Capella Healthcare, Inc., an owner and operator of general acute-care hospitals, as well as its Executive Vice President since January 2014, and as its Senior Vice President prior to that. Before joining Capella, she served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Gaylord Entertainment Company from 2000 to 2001, as Senior Equity Analyst and Research Director for Avondale Partners LLC and as Senior Equity Analyst for Merrill Lynch & Co. She also currently serves on the Board of Directors of Computer Programs and Systems, Inc., Newport Healthcare, Straive, and Virtusa, Inc. Ms. Warren is National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Directorship CertifiedTM and received a Corporate Directors Certificate from Harvard Business School. Ms. Warren earned a B.S. degree in Economics from Southern Methodist University and a M.B.A. from Harvard University.
Director
Denise W. Warren joined Brookdale’s Board in October 2018 as an independent director. Ms. Warren brings more than 30 years of operational, financial and healthcare experience. Most recently, she served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of WakeMed Health & Hospitals from October 2015 through December 2020, where she was responsible for the strategic, financial and operational performance of the organization's network of facilities in the North Carolina Research Triangle area. Prior to that, from 2005 to September 2015, Ms. Warren served as Chief Financial Officer of Capella Healthcare, Inc., an owner and operator of general acute-care hospitals, as well as its Executive Vice President since January 2014, and as its Senior Vice President prior to that. Before joining Capella, she served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Gaylord Entertainment Company from 2000 to 2001, as Senior Equity Analyst and Research Director for Avondale Partners LLC and as Senior Equity Analyst for Merrill Lynch & Co. She also currently serves on the Board of Directors of Computer Programs and Systems, Inc., Newport Healthcare, Straive, and Virtusa, Inc. Ms. Warren is National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Directorship CertifiedTM and received a Corporate Directors Certificate from Harvard Business School. Ms. Warren earned a B.S. degree in Economics from Southern Methodist University and a M.B.A. from Harvard University.
Director
Mr. Wielansky has more than 40 years of commercial real estate investment, management and development experience. He currently serves as Chairman and CEO of Opportunistic Equities, which specializes in low income housing. He has also served as Chairman and CEO of Midland Development Group, Inc., which he re-started in 2003 and focused on the development of retail properties in the mid-west and southeast. Prior to Midland, he served as President and CEO of JDN Development Company, Inc. and as a director of JDN Realty Corporation. Before joining JDN, he served as Managing Director – Investments of Regency Centers Corporation, which in 1998 acquired Midland Development Group, a retail properties development company co-founded by Mr. Wielansky in 1983. Mr. Wielansky joined the Company’s Board of Directors in April 2015 and served as Non-Executive Chairman of the Board from February 2018 through December 2019. He is an independent director. He also serves as Lead Trustee of Acadia Realty Trust and served as a director of Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. from 2007 to 2017 and Pulaski Financial Corp. from 2005 to 2016. Mr. Wielansky received a bachelor's degree in Business Administration, with a major in Real Estate and Finance, from the University of Missouri – Columbia, where he is currently a member of the Strategic Development Board of the College of Business. He also served on the Board of Directors of The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital.
Director
Mr. Wielansky has more than 40 years of commercial real estate investment, management and development experience. He currently serves as Chairman and CEO of Opportunistic Equities, which specializes in low income housing. He has also served as Chairman and CEO of Midland Development Group, Inc., which he re-started in 2003 and focused on the development of retail properties in the mid-west and southeast. Prior to Midland, he served as President and CEO of JDN Development Company, Inc. and as a director of JDN Realty Corporation. Before joining JDN, he served as Managing Director – Investments of Regency Centers Corporation, which in 1998 acquired Midland Development Group, a retail properties development company co-founded by Mr. Wielansky in 1983. Mr. Wielansky joined the Company’s Board of Directors in April 2015 and served as Non-Executive Chairman of the Board from February 2018 through December 2019. He is an independent director. He also serves as Lead Trustee of Acadia Realty Trust and served as a director of Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. from 2007 to 2017 and Pulaski Financial Corp. from 2005 to 2016. Mr. Wielansky received a bachelor's degree in Business Administration, with a major in Real Estate and Finance, from the University of Missouri – Columbia, where he is currently a member of the Strategic Development Board of the College of Business. He also served on the Board of Directors of The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital.