LifeStar Living, a leader in active senior living development, is proud to announce the one-year anniversary of its founding. Officially created July 6, 2020, the Sarasota, Fla.-based company has since made leaps and bounds in the growth of its team and clients—providing an array of professional services in everything from senior living community development to expertise in human resources, project design and development, and marketing, advertising, and sales.
Amazingly, this innovative organization’s story started in 2020, between co-founders David Falk and Joel Anderson. Falk, NBA’s most prominently known super agent who represented over 100 elite players, including Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, and Alonzo Mourning, and Anderson, a 25-year veteran executive in senior living repeatedly known in leading difficult turn arounds of large active senior living properties and organizations, were introduced in 2015. Now, five years later, Falk and Anderson have connected to develop and oversee first-class senior living properties in Florida.
Anderson recalls accepting Falk’s offer recognizing his reputation in building great companies and brands, like Falk’s company F.A.M.E and Nike’s Air Jordan brand. “David invests in people and their track record, and I value his friendship and wisdom,” says Anderson. “His success goes well beyond his work in the NBA, and I look forward to building LifeStar together with a dedicated team of professionals who carry the same drive in serving others and offering the best lifestyle experiences.”
Tackling the process with the same vigor that made him the world’s greatest sports agent, Falk wanted Anderson to build a “Dream Team” to represent LifeStar. So, he began attracting experienced executives from all quarters of senior living, including sales and marketing, finance, operations, development and construction, information technology, and human capital planning.
In the coming months, he added long-time senior living marketing executive Jessica Kraft, as well as seasoned executives like Christine Clyne in administration and human capital management, construction and development’s Andy Penry and Darren Azdell, and senior living advisor and executive Tim Ficker, along with other talented leaders in culinary and dining, clinical and wellness, accounting and finance, marketing, IT, and construction management.
“It’s a gift to build a high-performing team from scratch,” says Anderson. “Besides organizing 100+ years of executive senior living talent, we’ve naturally laid the foundation of a great organization culture and brand that will last well beyond our years in dedication to this organization and our clients.”
“Success breeds success,” he adds, “and our company’s motto is ‘Leading with Integrity, Centered in Compassion.”
One year later, LifeStar continues to rely on these principles in its growth, and producing great results within senior living.
Two nationally known organizations like Volunteers of America National Services (VOANS) and Lutheran Life Communities took advantage of LifeStar’s expertise early after they began accepting clients. VOANS engaged LifeStar to reposition a new life plan community project in Florida, and Lutheran Life tapped LifeStar Creative to satisfy its strategic marketing needs across multiple campuses and states.
“We found [LifeStar] to be responsive and extremely helpful in bringing fresh ideas and solutions to our project,” says Sharon Wilson-Geno, chief operating officer at VOANS. Similarly, Lutheran Life Communities CEO Sloan Bentley values how LifeStar adapts to a company’s mission and is able to produce meaningful results, especially with occupancy and financial constraints caused by the pandemic.
Moreover, in May 2021, LifeStar achieved a major milestone when it closed on a prime location for its flagship property. Neighboring the Gulf of Mexico and Boca Ciega Bay, the new building site is situated in the heart of St. Petersburg’s Skyway Marina District, and will be home to The Manhattan—St. Petersburg, a luxury, membership-based active senior living community that provides members exclusive benefits and boutique healthcare.
LifeStar was also engaged recently by a new not-for-profit organization, Convivial Life. Convivial will use LifeStar in orchestrating a portfolio of senior living properties involving new developments and acquisitions, and offering progressive services and solutions to meet the health and economic needs of a growing older adult population. Convivial’s Board includes a powerhouse of major influencers and proven leaders within senior living such as Rick Grindrod, CEO of Provider Partners Health Plans, Dr. Judah Ronch, dementia expert and former dean of the Erickson School at The University of Maryland Baltimore County, Jeff Metzger, president and CEO of New International Ministries, Cedric Richner, senior consultant with Marts & Lundy and former co-founder and president of Richner + Richner philanthropic consulting group, and Art Schloss, retired municipal bond vice president for Van Kampen Advisors/INVESCO.
This, in addition to other locations of focus throughout Florida, testifies to how far LifeStar has evolved in one short year. It also suggests a bright and exciting future for its team members and clients.