Incoming Missouri Nursing Home CEO Expects to See ‘Continued Growth’ for the Nonprofit

New leadership at a St. Louis, M.O.-based nursing home nonprofit aims to continue growth in the new year, while bringing a mix of financial and academic expertise to its top executive spot.

Bill Holman will take the helm as CEO at St. Andrew’s Resources for Seniors System Inc. (STARSS) effective Jan. 1, 2022 — Holman is excited to lead STARSS in its current growth trajectory facilitated by Mary Alice Ryan, who held the role for 38 years.

Ryan helped the company expand from a two-facility footprint serving 300 seniors to more than 8,700 residents across its 18 communities.

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STARSS offers skilled nursing, residential and assisted living, memory care, home care and management services in the St. Louis region, and is the 12th-largest non-profit organization in that area.

Holman will come into the role having held executive positions in the industry for more than 20 years, most recently as CEO of Ginger Cove Life Care Community in Annapolis, Md.. and maintained credentials as a licensed nursing home administrator (LNHA).

He also has academic experience as an adjunct assistant professor at the Erickson School of Aging at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County for a decade — and was chair of the graduate program for three of those years.

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Holman has accounting experience too, adding certified public accountant (CPA) to the list.

Excerpts from this conversation have been edited for length and clarity.

How does it feel, coming into a leadership role during such a tough time for the industry? 

I’m very comfortable coming into this role, particularly thinking it through the lens of being in the midst of a pandemic. We know so much more now than we did a year and a half ago, a year ago and six months ago. Everybody’s been grappling with the same challenges and learning from each other.

What’s next for STARSS under your leadership?

I would expect to see continued growth through new construction, perhaps affiliation acquisition, but a continued focus on innovative ways to meet the needs of older adults. One of the attractions of STARSS is they really have been meeting the needs of adults in many different settings. When you look at their diversified business line, it’s very impressive, what has been put together to date. I’m looking forward to continuing on with that.

How do you think your background will help inform decisions at this point in the pandemic? 

Being a CPA, and an educator and licensed nursing home administrator, as I think back I had the benefit of being educated in a professional peer atmosphere. Some of my leadership style has been informed through that interaction with world class faculty and additionally, the professional peers that were in class with us as we continue to learn together.

So your time in education has helped you prepare for this role?

My education was formed by being in class with other CEOs, CFOs and operating folks. When I think specifically about my background as an educator, that has allowed me to transfer those skills into the organization, teaching, helping grow and develop others to take what they don’t know and show them how to do it. 

So your education background has helped inform your leadership style?

I think it’s helped promote a different way of thinking, if we can continue to promote education within our organizations. We are going to have a greater asset with our members because they understand the why behind what we’re doing and ultimately, we can impart different skill sets.

What types of skill sets? 

At the UMBC Erickson school I was teaching finance and accounting. We believe that was a very important component for those coming through the program, that we’re learning about leadership management and policy — to be a good leader, you must understand the finances and the drivers behind an organization, from revenue and expenses. I did find that teaching some other courses along the way, including a leadership class and running the capstone for a few semesters allowed me to broaden that and transfer some of those skills into what I’m doing here at an organization. 

How does this translate to vaccine education within STARSS? 

It’s understanding who we’re talking to and what you’re trying to understand, what their objections may be — just talking about why they feel that way. I educated myself to become comfortable with the concept of the vaccine, transferring information that I was able to get from different sources and different opportunities to the next person and hope that I can do it in a way that’s going to help them understand. That doesn’t mean they’re going to make the same decision, but maybe they are more informed at the time when they are making the decision that they choose.

How does your CPA experience fit in?

From a finance lens, I have been able to promote the concept of … no margin, no mission. I believe that we must be fiscally accountable and responsible and if we are running efficient operations, then we’re able to make even more things happen. Taking the lens of those two things and putting them together has allowed me to attack problems in an interdisciplinary way with the team and ultimately, I believe, serve better outcomes.

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