Case Studies
Representative senior living leadership searches and the challenges behind them.
CASE STUDY
EVP/COO Search for a Multi-State Senior Living Operator
Edgewood Healthcare retained LM Hurley & Associates to conduct an Executive Vice President / Chief Operating Officer search as the owner/CEO prepared to step back from daily operations and focus on growth.
The ChallengeEdgewood Healthcare was North Dakota’s leading senior living organization, with 27 properties and approximately 1,900 assisted living and memory care units across North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Wyoming.
The owner/CEO had built a well-established, well-financed, and successful senior living company while also remaining active in real estate, residential and commercial development, and a REIT he founded. As the company prepared for continued growth, the owner wanted to step back from the operating side of the business to spend more time with his family and focus on development, acquisitions, and strategic growth initiatives. He needed a senior operating executive who could assume responsibility for the organization’s expanding portfolio and lead operations across multiple states. This was not simply a COO search. It was a succession and growth assignment for a founder-led senior living company preparing to scale from a strong regional platform into a larger multi-state operator.The SearchLM Hurley & Associates met with the owner and executive team at the company’s corporate office in Fargo, North Dakota, to understand the organization’s culture, growth plans, operating structure, and leadership requirements. We developed a nationwide executive search strategy focused on identifying top-performing senior living executives from large and mid-sized organizations, including operators with revenue exceeding $100 million. The ideal candidate needed to be a servant leader with high ethical standards, strong communication skills, decisive leadership ability, and the capacity to build relationships at every level of the organization. The role also required an executive who could execute on a growth vision, support acquisitions and new developments, and bring disciplined operating leadership to a multi-state senior living portfolio. The ResultLM Hurley & Associates contacted and screened 318 prospects and interviewed 47 candidates. We narrowed the field to the five strongest candidates and presented them to the organization. The client selected three individuals to interview and ultimately chose a candidate who exceeded the executive search specifications. The selected candidate was also an ideal cultural fit, with personal ties to North Dakota and a desire to return from Seattle to the region where his family had deep roots. An offer was made and accepted within 60 days of engagement. The new COO joined the organization with more than 22 years of success in assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing. He was eventually promoted to President as the company grew from 27 to 53 communities. |
SEARCH SNAPSHOT CLIENT Edgewood Healthcare Search Model Retained Executive Search ROLE Executive Vice President / Chief Operating Officer TIMELINE Offer accepted within 60 days of engagement SEARCH ACTIVITY 318 prospects contacted and screened; 33 candidates interviewed FINALISTS Three top candidates presented 
What Made it Complex
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Why This Search Mattered
This search helped a successful founder-led senior living company prepare for its next stage of growth by adding a senior operating executive who could assume day-to-day operational leadership.
The selected COO brought the experience, leadership style, and cultural alignment needed to support a growing multi-state senior living platform. His later promotion to President demonstrated the long-term value of the placement and the strength of the leadership fit.
The selected COO brought the experience, leadership style, and cultural alignment needed to support a growing multi-state senior living platform. His later promotion to President demonstrated the long-term value of the placement and the strength of the leadership fit.
