Harbor Retirement Associates (HRA) has hired a former senior vice president of operations at Senior Lifestyle Corp., where the senior living veteran leads the company’s operations.
The Vero Beach, Fla.-based senior living operator on Wednesday named Karin Batemen to the role of COO. The former SLC director started his new role at HRA last month. She succeeds former COO Kim Lewis, who joined the company in 2018.
In his new role, Batemen will oversee the management of the company’s 37 HarborChase communities in 14 states and more on the way. And in the near term, she is focused on improving and expanding the company’s hospitality-focused operations in terms of dining and beauty salons.
“[We’re] looking at growing these platforms, especially in light of the service changes that we’ve experienced as an industry post-Covid,” Batemen told Senior Housing News.
Like almost every other senior leader in 2022, she is also focusing on recruiting and retaining employees, which has become “more of a challenge” this year.
HRA communities have four different dining options, ranging from fine steakhouses to more casual bistros. But with such a strong focus on food quality, the company struggles with cost inflation in areas such as shipping and food. As such, operational efficiency is top of mind for Batemen.
“We are constantly finding ways to recycle different food products,” she said. “But I also think it’s exciting because it challenges us to think outside the box.”
At SLC, Batemen focused on new developments and marked the opening of 25 communities in the last five years. And she will continue that focus on growth in her new role at HRA.
The company currently has two active construction projects underway for communities in Boynton Beach, Florida, set to open in December; and Shaker Heights, Ohio, which is slated to open in February 2023, Batemen said.
The company also has a handful of other projects in its pipeline, though she noted they’re “not inked yet.”
As the company grows, Batemen said it will look to open only about two communities a year to ensure they rent and operate smoothly.
“We’re really focusing on quality as we grow, not just quantity,” Batemen said.
Batemen joins HRA at a time of renewal and reflection. Last year, HRA CEO Sarabeth Hanson told Senior Housing News that the company’s occupancy gains were a sign that luxury senior living was still in high demand despite the Covid-19 pandemic and all it has brought
Batemen’s appointment also comes as HRA celebrates 20 years as a company. Today, the operator has more than $150 million in annual revenue around 3,800 associates.
Austin Montgomery
Austin Montgomery is a reporter for Senior Housing News as part of the Aging Media Network. When he’s not writing, find him on a disc golf course or looking for the next great read at a local bookstore.
