Lisa Haglund, President, and CEO of Heritage Ministries announced this week that Jennifer Whitten, Heritage Vice President of Senior Housing and Sales, has been named Chief Operating Officer of the organization.
Haglund shared, “With her extensive experience in the senior care industry on a national level, Jennifer is uniquely qualified to serve our residents and their families through her experience and passion for seniors. As Vice President of Senior Housing and Sales, and a vital member in our COVID-19 response team, her expertise in senior living has enabled Heritage to be both prepared and proactive in upholding the health and safety of all of our staff and residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. We look forward to the future, knowing that she will continue to regard the health and safety of our residents and staff with absolute importance. Jennifer is a compassionate, active, and knowledgeable leader, who will work with our staff and partners to strengthen our mission of promoting Hope, Dignity, and Purposeful Living to all those entrusted to our care.”
Whitten joined Heritage in 2019 as the National Director of Sales before being promoted to Vice President of Senior Housing and Sales with nearly twenty years in the senior care and housing industry, serving both large and small companies in the not-for-profit and for-profit organizations. In her new role as Chief Operating Officer, Whitten will oversee operations across the organization, while providing leadership in support of the core values of Heritage, and developing and sustaining a company culture of teamwork, professionalism, mutual respect, and continuous quality improvement and accountability.
Whitten shared her enthusiasm for her new position, “I am honored to serve Heritage, our staff, and our residents as the Chief Operating Officer. I am looking forward to helping the organization continue to promote and achieve excellence in both service and lifestyle for all those we are so blessed to serve, and to work beside a team so committed and dedicated to those standards of excellence.”
Whitten holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Massachusetts and completed her Master’s coursework at California State University. She will graduate in 2021 from Saint Leo University with an MBA in Healthcare Management/Administration.
Heritage Ministries was founded in 1886 and has grown from its original campus in Gerry, NY, to six locations in New York with additional affiliations across the United States. As a not-for-profit provider of senior care and housing, Heritage is a leader in the industry, employing approximately 1,500 team members, and serving over 2,500 individuals annually. With locations in New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Washington, Heritage and its affiliates provide rehabilitation and skilled nursing services, memory care, independent retirement housing, and assisted living. In addition, childcare is provided at two campuses, allowing for intergenerational programs. For more information on Heritage Ministries, please visit www.heritage1886.org.
