NEWS

Davidson, N.C. – Nov. 27, 2020 – The Board of Directors of The Pines at Davidson named Heather McKee to serve as its Interim President/CEO and Executive Director. She will assume her role on November 30, 2020.

McKee will replace Executive Director Steve Jewell while The Pines Executive Search Committee continues its President/CEO and Executive Director candidate screening process. Jewell’s last day at The Pines will be December 4.

In her interim role, McKee will focus on maintaining the health and safety policies, procedures, and guidelines that protect The Pines from the spread of COVID-19 on its campus and on supporting and leading the staff in delivering high quality services; interacting with residents, families and staff; and helping to assure the successful completion of the campus expansion.

McKee grew up in Charlotte, and is a graduate of Davidson College. She received a second undergraduate degree from Queens University and a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary. Her resume includes numerous leadership positions in the fields of healthcare policy, ethics, and administration, including serving as the Executive Director of The Sublette Center, a nonprofit senior health and housing organization in Wyoming from 2009 to 2014. Prior to that role, she was a project manager for the Department of Health Care Policy at Harvard Medical School and instructor in medical ethics at The Medical College of Wisconsin. McKee is well known in the Davidson community.

The Executive Search Committee’s effort to identify a new President/CEO & Executive Director is well underway and nearing completion. The initial search produced a number of worthy candidates and is now focused on a small number of finalists. Once the Committee’s work is complete and provided to the Board for review and decision, it is anticipated that the new President/CEO & Executive Director will be on board by January or February 2021. McKee has elected not to be considered for this position, and consideration of major policy issues will be deferred until the new President/CEO is hired.

Jewell notified The Pines Board of Directors in July of his resignation. At the Board’s request, Jewell agreed to remain in his role with The Pines as the Board commenced its search for a replacement. Jewell’s extension enabled him to continue managing The Pines comprehensive response to COVID-19 and overseeing The Pines extensive expansion project, underway since 2019. With the completion and opening on November 20 of two new nursing neighborhoods, each with 20 private residences, Pines’ Board Chair Harrison Marshall and Jewell agreed that it was an appropriate time to conclude Jewell’s tenure at The Pines.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, Marshall thanked Jewell for his leadership of The Pines for over five years and noted Jewell’s accomplishments during the last four months while the search for a new Executive Director was underway. These accomplishments include:

• The Pines has continued to remain a safe and caring place for residents, with very few cases of COVID-19.
• New residents are continuing to move to The Pines, including the ten independent households it welcomed recently
• Residents moved into the new nursing rooms, after the new addition obtained all regulatory approvals.
• The Department of Insurance has granted approval for the opening of the 38 new Poplar Hill Villas, subject only to obtaining the Certificate of Occupancy.
• Thirty-three of the 38 new Poplar Hill villas were reserved, and the prospective residents remain excited about moving into the new villas beginning on December 28, 2020.
• Construction is making great progress, with completion of the two new nursing neighborhoods, and the projected completion of new dining, fitness, meeting spaces, and Villa buildings by December 2020 through January 2021.
• Fitch Ratings Inc. (an American credit rating agency) reaffirmed The Pines’ ‘BBB+’ rating with stable outlook, despite the construction and financial challenges of the pandemic. Jewell worked with David C. Rainey, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, on the Fitch Review. Rainey will continue his role at The Pines.

 

About The Pines at Davidson

The Pines at Davidson was established through the efforts of members and friends of Davidson College Presbyterian Church and with the support of Davidson College. With approximately 380 residents, The Pines offers different levels of care: 250 Independent Living accommodations (apartments, cottages, and villas) as well as 30 Assisted Living and 51 Nursing Care private residences (including its neighborhood for residents with memory impairment). The Pines pays property taxes on its non-exempt property and, with respect to its tax-exempt property, makes annual voluntary contributions to the Town of Davidson (in excess of its property taxes) and to Mecklenburg County in appreciation of the many services it receives from local government. Following the completion of the expansion project, The Pines will have 291 Independent Living residences as well as 30 Assisted Living and 75 Nursing Care private residences. www.thepinesatdavidson.org