Terri Cunliffe Promoted to CEO After 25 Years at Convenant Retirement Communities
The board of directors of Chicago-based Covenant Retirement Communities (CRC), owner and operator of 14 senior living communities nationwide, has named Terri Cunliffe as its chief executive officer, effective June 1, 2015. Cunliffe, who has served as CRC’s COO since 2010 and has been part of the organization for more than 25 years, succeeds current CEO Rick Fisk.
Beginning her career as a nursing home part-time receptionist, Terri Cunliffe has held a series of progressive leadership roles within CRC, including nursing home administrator and executive director at Covenant Village of Florida. As CRC’s senior vice president of health and wellness and executive vice president of operations, Cunliffe effected change by developing and implementing the company’s LifeConnect approach to whole-person wellness. The program enables CRC to connect residents with resources and opportunities to help them fulfill their needs, interests and goals through educational and cultural programming, on- and off-campus activities and excursions.
While serving as COO Cunliffe developed the organization’s new customer service and hospitality platform – ‘We Believe.’ The platform, which is currently being implemented across CRC’s 14 senior living communities, focuses on enhancing the communities’ customer service and resident relations by focusing on individuality, hospitality, congeniality and spirituality.
“It has been a privilege to be a part of an organization that is committed to the Evangelical Covenant Church’s mission, and provides its employees the opportunity to impact the lives of others on a daily basis while practicing their faith at work,” says Cunliffe. “Our residents and staff inspire me daily, and I look forward to continuing to work with our executive leadership team and board of directors to further Covenant Retirement Communities’ strategic vision of assisting and meeting the needs of future generations of residents and staff.”
Covenant Retirement Communities Knows Cunliffe is Right Hire
“Throughout her tenure with Covenant Retirement Communities, Terri has earned the respect of the staff and board members as well as colleagues in the senior living industry,” says Neil Warnygora, executive director at Covenant Village of Northbrook. “With her long history with the organization and strengths – enthusiasm, experience, business savvy, and wellness perspective – Terri Cunliffe is the right person for this position and will effect positive change that will continue to reflect the mission of the Evangelical Covenant Church and Covenant Retirement Communities.”
A licensed nursing home administrator in the state of Florida, Cunliffe has been an active leader in LeadingAge Florida, formerly known as Florida Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, since 1995. She was named FAHSA Executive of the Year in 1999, received its chairman’s award in 2005 and was the organizations’ chair from 2009-2011.
Cunliffe earned a Bachelor of Science degree in long-term care administration from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn. and a master’s degree in health services administration from Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
About Covenant Retirement Communities
Covenant Retirement Communities is one of the nation’s largest not-for-profit senior services providers. It serves 5,000 residents at 14 retirement communities nationwide and is a ministry of the Evangelical Covenant Church. For more information, visit www.covenantretirement.org.
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