Case Studies
Representative senior living leadership searches and the challenges behind them.
CASE STUDY
Community Relations Director Search for a Newly Opened Senior Living Community
Merrill Gardens engaged LM Hurley & Associates to conduct a Community Relations Director search for a newly opened senior living community that needed a polished sales leader to build relationships, sustain momentum, and represent the community with confidence.
The ChallengeMerrill Gardens at Greenville needed a Community Relations Director after a well-liked sales leader returned to the Netherlands, creating an important opening at a newly opened senior living community.
The role required more than traditional sales experience. The community needed a relationship-driven sales leader who could build trust with prospective residents and families, represent the Merrill Gardens brand with professionalism, and support census growth during a critical period for the community. Because the community was still establishing its local presence, cultural fit and communication style were especially important. The right candidate needed confidence, warmth, follow-through, and the ability to work effectively with the General Manager, regional leadership, prospects, families, and referral sources. This was not simply a sales search. The community needed a confident, relationship-focused leader who could sustain early momentum, build local trust, and help convert interest into move-ins.The SearchLM Hurley & Associates worked with Merrill Gardens leadership to clarify the role, understand the community’s sales needs, and identify the traits most important for success in a newly opened senior living environment. The search focused on candidates with senior living sales experience, strong interpersonal ability, polished communication skills, and the discipline to manage prospects, follow-up, events, outreach, and referral relationships. Because this was a community-facing role, LMH evaluated candidates not only for sales background, but also for presence, warmth, credibility, resilience, and ability to represent the community in a way that would inspire confidence among prospective residents and families. The ResultLM Hurley & Associates identified 89 prospects, contacted 75, screened 22 candidates, and presented five qualified candidates to Merrill Gardens. The client selected three finalists for consideration and ultimately chose a candidate who matched the search requirements while also making a strong cultural connection with the team. An offer was extended and accepted within 44 days of engagement. The client was thrilled with the outcome, and the selected candidate brought the relationship-building ability, professionalism, and senior living sales orientation the community needed. |
SEARCH SNAPSHOT CLIENT Merrill Gardens at Greenville Search Model Exclusive Engagement Search ROLE Community Relations Director TIMELINE Offer accepted within 44 days of engagement SEARCH ACTIVITY 89 prospects identified; 75 contacted; 22 candidates screened FINALISTS Five candidates presented; three finalists selected by the client 
What Made It Challenging
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Why This Search Mattered
Sales leadership is critical in a newly opened senior living community. The right Community Relations Director helps build trust, maintain prospect engagement, strengthen referral relationships, and support census growth.
By identifying and presenting candidates with the right combination of senior living sales ability, professionalism, and cultural fit, LM Hurley helped Merrill Gardens at Greenville fill an important community-facing leadership role.
By identifying and presenting candidates with the right combination of senior living sales ability, professionalism, and cultural fit, LM Hurley helped Merrill Gardens at Greenville fill an important community-facing leadership role.
