Executive Team Named for Cornerstone Affiliates

American Baptist Homes of the West (ABHOW) and be.group, which received state approval for affiliation in May, announced members of the senior leadership team which will guide the affiliated enterprise. California’s two leading nonprofit providers of senior housing and services, unified under parent company Cornerstone Affiliates, will be led by President and CEO John H. Cochrane, III, formerly president and CEO of be.group. Working to meet the changing needs of the growing senior living market, the senior leadership team, known internally as the Executive Team, includes:

• Pam Claassen, chief financial officer, who manages finance and accounting, investments, new project financing and capital improvements, as well as information technology operations
• Dan Hutson, chief strategy officer, who manages strategic planning, marketing, innovation and product development, and corporate communications
• Terese Juntz, chief administration officer, who manages human resources and team member engagement, as well as overseeing program management of enterprise-wide projects and programs
• Dan Ogus, chief operating officer, who oversees daily operations in licensed communities and affordable housing
• Louise Rankin, general counsel, who guides the in-house legal team and manages relationships with outside counsel

Cornerstone also named its division presidents:

• Jeff Glaze, president, philanthropy, which leads fundraising operations for capital improvement projects and benevolence.
• Ancel Romero, president, Beacon Communities, Inc., which develops and manages affordable housing.

ABHOW and be.group announced affiliation plans last July, citing the growing housing and health care needs of the senior population and increasing competition as factors that led to the decision to consolidate. By coming together, the united organization will enhance the performance and care of its communities, create more opportunities for team members and provide greater resources to meet the escalating demand for housing.

The newly unified company provides continuing care, affordable housing, assisted living, skilled nursing and memory support to nearly 10,000 residents in 84 communities across California, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Oklahoma and Idaho. In addition to ABHOW and be.group, the organization created under the Cornerstone umbrella includes Beacon Communities, a developer and operator of affordable housing communities, and Seniority, Inc., a for-profit management, sales and consulting company.

“With our focus on being the best at what we do and with the support and expertise of our leadership team, our new affiliation looks forward to redefining the meaning of aging well for older adults, their families and the wider community,” Cochrane said.