Jo Ellen Bleavins, President of Gardant Management Solutions, has been elected President of the Supportive Living Cabinet and will serve on the Board of Directors for LeadingAge Illinois.
LeadingAge Illinois represents more than 500 organizations that provide services to thousands of seniors in Illinois. The group, which is nationally recognized for innovative programs, leadership and expertise on issues related to long-term care and senior housing services, is the state affiliate for LeadingAge and Argentum.
The Supportive Living Cabinet focuses on the affordable assisted living communities in the state. Gardant manages dozens of communities that operate through the Illinois Supportive Living Program, which allows the communities to serve seniors and adults ages 22 to 64 with physical disabilities, regardless of their income. Last summer, Gardant held a landmark national summit with senior and assisted living leaders to discuss the future of affordable assisted living.
Bleavins brings more than 22 years of administrative experience in Assisted Living, Supportive Living, Independent Living, Memory Care and Long-Term Care to her new position with LeadingAge . She has been at Gardant since 2003, and plays a pivotal role in leading operations for the company and has led the opening or acquisition of more than 50 communities. Bleavins also has a complimentary background with several positions held throughout her career, ranging from community-level administrator and nursing director to chief operating officer.
Prior to her appointment, Bleavins served on the Supportive Living Cabinet for LeadingAge Illinois. She is a member of Argentum’s COO Roundtable and a member of Vistage, an international executive development group.
Bleavins attended the University of Illinois and Millikin University. She holds an undergraduate nursing degree and a master’s degree in business administration.
Teresa Wester-Peters, Director of Operations for Gardant, also continues to serve as an at-large board member for LeadingAge Illinois.
Gardant Management Solutions is the largest provider of assisted living in Illinois. It operates more than 40 assisted living, senior living and memory care communities in Chicago and surrounding suburbs, the Metro East area of St. Louis, and other locations in northern, central and southern Illinois.
The company recently expanded its portfolio, adding properties in Georgia and Indiana.
Gardant ranks as the 14th largest provider of assisted living in the country, according to Senior Living Executive, a publication of Argentum.
