National finalists for the 2023 National Retirement Living ‘Village Manager of the Year’ and ‘Salesperson of the Year’ were announced at the Property Council of Australia’s Retirement Connect Sundowner event in Perth yesterday.
Congratulating all nominees and finalists, Retirement Living Council Executive Director, Daniel Gannon said while Australia was a global leader in the design of age-friendly communities, it was extraordinary people who could build strong and productive relationships with residents that made retirement living even more enjoyable.
“It is through the increasingly competitive professional standards in our annual industry awards programme that the ‘best of the best’ are continually pushing and pulling the rest of us closer to world’s best practice,” Mr Gannon said.
He said a 10-year longitudinal study of Australian retirement village residents by DCM Group found 83% of residents felt safer in the age-friendly community than in their previous home, with 94% of residents confirming they were ‘glad to be living in a retirement community during these uncertain COVID-19 times’.
“It’s always important to remember why we’re here, so our industry’s best village managers and salespeople will always have a strong focus on supporting residents in age-friendly communities right across Australia,” Mr Gannon said.
“Despite working for different operators in different metropolitan and regional locations, one common denominator emerged – like our ambitions for industry, they all want to enhance their village’s reputation as the best place for residents and staff,” he said.
A survey of retirement village residents by the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) last year confirmed industry efforts to improve professional standards were seemingly working, with customer experience meeting and/or exceeding expectations raised in marketing via face-to-face (77%), village website (72%), brochures (73%), print advertisements (68%) and TV/radio (64%).
Mr Gannon said there was an industry-wide strategy for many operators to put residents back at the centre of the industry’s business model, evidenced through their adoption of the Eight Point Plan, the Retirement Living Code of Conduct, the Australian Retirement Village Accreditation Scheme (ARVAS), the RLC’s new Capability Framework; the Resident and Community Engagement for Redevelopments Guidelines; and the more recent A guide to Political engagement: How to be a strong advocate for healthy ageing.
“Putting these initiatives into action has demonstrated a meaningful commitment to residents, and a meaningful commitment to acting on issues that have in the past drawn criticism from the media and from politicians,” Mr Gannon said.
“Together, we can lift the standards of this important industry and in turn, our market share. To do this, we need every operator across the country to be part of this positive change,” he said.
Regional winners will now compete for the coveted 2023 National Retirement Village Manager of the Year and the 2023 National Salesperson of the Year Award.
National Winners will be announced on June 22nd on the Gold Coast as part of the 2023 National Retirement Living Summit.
Finalists for the 2023 National Retirement Village Manager of the Year Award are:
Western Australia
Programmed Award for Village Manager of the Year – Karri ASHFORD – Woodstock West Bunbury (Lendlease Retirement Living). Karri has demonstrated outstanding commitment to her role and effectively managed all aspects of village life with professionalism and compassion to an extremely high standard. Residents have noticed the positive new initiatives that Karri has introduced and value the improvements in the presentation of the village, facilities and services, especially the pleasant atmosphere generated by Karri and her staff.
NSW / ACT
Programmed Award for Village Manager of the Year – Jo-Anne QUINN – Manors of Mosman (Aveo Group). Jo-Anne is the Community Manager. Her natural leadership is demonstrated through the trusted relationships she has built with residents, knowledge of the industry, the team’s high performance and her ability to drive operational performance at every level. Earning the respect of her colleagues and residents, Jo-Ann has demonstrated outstanding leadership and professionalism over many years, achieving high standards of compliance, engagement, innovation and self-management.
QLD
Programmed Award for Village Manager of the Year – Justine REGAN – Aveo Robertson Park (Aveo Group). In just 12 months, Justine Regan rebuilt trust and transformed Aveo Robertson Park in Brisbane’s south into a thriving and fully occupied community. With a humble and empathetic nature, Justine is an experienced and inspired Community Manager who brings people together and creates opportunities for residents to live their best retirement life.
SA / NT
Programmed Award for Village Manager of the Year – Lee Ann ALEJO – Wisteria Grove Retirement Village (RetireAustralia). As Village Manager for Wisteria Grove and Spring Grove, Lee Ann is a values-driven leader who embodies care, compassion and a dedication to residents’ wellbeing. She is committed to supporting residents as their care needs increase by helping them access home care services, or transitioning them into a serviced apartment. She successfully transformed culture to unite the community, while successfully steering a nearby village through a COVID-19 outbreak. At both villages, Lee Ann ensures residents and team members feel valued and supported.
VIC / TAS
Programmed Award for Village Manager of the Year – Sherman BROWN – Burwood Terrace (Lendlease Retirement Living). Sherman is an excellent people manager and thrives in a busy work environment that caters for a variety of staff working across several disciplines, including: administration, housekeeping, maintenance and sales. Sherman consistently aims to enhance the village’s reputation as the best place for residents and staff.
