| Inaugural Edition |
II. Kathryn’s Job at Ecumen
Baby boomers have played a major role in shaping much of our society today and will continue to effect change as they age. Did the fact that you’re a boomer have an impact on your accepting the president and CEO position at Ecumen?
Yes, my stage in life had a big influence in taking this position. I have a
huge desire to help craft how services and housing for older adults will look as
our demographics change. People’s vi
ews on aging have changed a great deal.
People as a whole are much more active for a longer period of time. They want to
maintain their independence for as long as possible. I am in that camp. If I’m
fortunate to have my health as I age, I want to be able to maintain my
independence and, if I need more intensive care, I want it easily accessible. I
don’t, however, want to share a small room with another person. I don’t think
any of us do. We want options and we want to live fully and independently for as
long as possible. At Ecumen, we have an opportunity to build on our expertise
and improve living settings and expand options. That gets me pumped.
What does the job of president and CEO of our organization entail?
An extremely important area of my job is working to make it as easy as possible for our team members to deliver on our mission and our promise whether that’s in Litchfield or Duluth or wherever we are. That involves listening, gathering input and looking at new ways of doing things. In terms of input, I welcome it. Anyone on the Ecumen team should always feel free to send me their ideas and thoughts.
Another huge part of my job is carrying out the policy directives of the board of trustees and serving as a link between the board and the multiple areas of our organization. Strategic planning is an essential component of that. It involves very much being in the present, but also looking at the road ahead of us . . . 3 years . .. 5 years . . . and 10 years down the line. We are at an incredible time in the history of older adult housing and services. Our state, region and country are facing a transformational change as baby boomers age. We have a unique opportunity to help communities deal with that change.
Another large part of my job is telling our story to others outside the organization. That includes meeting with government officials, business leaders, community leaders, media, donors and others who are important to our organization’s current and future success.
What is the most fulfilling part of your job?
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Reach Kathryn at or 651-766-4313
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What
drives me is working to achieve our mission and providing ways to make it easier
for people in our organization to deliver care and services for the people who
rely on us. I get equal fulfillment out of working toward change in our
organization to provide expanded housing and service options. For example, the
Duluth project where Lakeshore is transforming itself to provide a variety of
living options along the continuum of life is extremely exciting as is adding a
la carte services at our independent living residence The Meadows of Worthington. As I
mentioned earlier, the demographic changes we are facing as a region are
historic. We have an opportunity to be at the front of this change and help our
communities thrive within it rather than get run over by it.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
The most challenging part of my job ties directly to what is also the most
fulfilling – achieving our mission. Providing housing options is not easy.
Looking beyond the regulatory hurdles and figuring out ways to grow despite them
is not easy. Innovating is not easy. However, over the last year, we as an
organization have started to take big strides in areas that are critical to our
growing as an organization and meeting our mission in a changing world. It may
sound like a cliché, but it’s absolutely true – working through the challenges
is what get
s us to the rewards. And we’re moving forward.
We are a big organization, how do you keep your finger on the pulse of what is happening throughout it?
Several ways. One way is through a meeting that occurs every Tuesday morning with Ecumen’s senior leadership team. At that meeting leaders within each area of the organization discuss what is occurring throughout their particular area of responsibility and what lies ahead. This helps not only me but others within the leadership team get a much broader picture of what’s occurring. I try to get out to our residences as much as possible. I am on the phone often with our administrators around the region. I think one thing that anyone in the organization who has e-mailed me or called me knows is that if you send me a message or pick up the phone and call, I’m going to respond. I welcome that communication from every person and area that make up Ecumen. Another tremendous feedback tool for me – and I think everyone at Ecumen – was the organization-wide survey that we took earlier this year. We achieved a tremendously high satisfaction rate. We also received feedback on areas for improvement. The survey will continue to be a valuable measurement and feedback tool.
How have your past roles prepared you for leading Ecumen?
None of my jobs have been the same, but they have all provided important elements for my role today. In some ways I’ve come full circle. My first job in state government was in the Minnesota Department of Public Welfare where I worked on the deinstitutionalization of the developmentally disabled, which included many older adults. Today all of us at Ecumen are working on changing a system that is highly institutionalized. I’ve also learned that challenges and building projects are challenges and building projects whether you’re seeking to transform the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, raise money for an IMAX theater at the Zoo, keep the Minnesota Twins in Minnesota, or working to expand housing and service options for seniors.