Left-brained thinkers are traditionally analytical and logical.
Right-brained thinkers are traditionally big-picture-oriented and empathetic.
She’s whole-brained.
It’s rare for someone to be so bilaterally strong, but it’s the reality. Rebecca Mathis, the new chief executive officer of King-Bruwaert (K-B) House senior living community in Hinsdale/Burr Ridge, has a number-crunching, financial and operations background. When combined with her nature as a people person, it’s apparent she’s perfectly suited for her new role.
K-B House, which has been gracing Hinsdale/Burr Ridge since 1933, is an elegant Life Plan Community offering vibrant independent living in private cottages and spacious upscale apartment homes and access to assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing.
Rebecca’s educational background and experience is in finance and operations.
On the other hand, she likes people, relationships and family.
Always interested in the healthcare industry, Rebecca worked for many years in leadership roles for hospital systems. Transitioning into senior living several years ago, she said, kept her in healthcare but in a more relationship-driven setting. She values that combination.
As the chief executive officer at K-B House, she has a broad role, overseeing all aspects of the community, including business, clinical, life enrichment, dining, and development. “It’s exciting, rewarding, and humbling,” she said.
She is drawn to the wonderful residents of K-B House and their families and loves getting to know them and their stories. Furthermore, she is amazed by the staff, citing that the average tenure of team members in all departments is exceptional, especially in a healthcare environment. “People work here for a long time. They love the residents, the culture and their fellow team members. They’re here because they choose to stay here. There’s a strong presence of deep caring that everyone exudes,” she said.
In addition to being both right and left-brained, Rebecca has another careful balance in which she excels. She is a visionary with a creative eye on the future while also recognizing and honoring a distinguished past. Such is K-B House’s current crossroads.
“K-B House has a history that’s almost 100 years old and we want it to be the prestigious and beloved senior living community for many more generations. We want it to maintain its character, quality, and distinctiveness, building on what we already have,” Rebecca said.
She added that it’s also essential that K-B House maintain its autonomy. “We will remain independent rather than becoming part of a large organization. We will continue to make decisions for our residents and team and will not become a figurehead for a large corporation.”
Rebecca continued, “We are carefully transitioning to a new dynamic for senior living while maintaining our legacy. It’s crucial to K-B House’s future. We already provide great care, so we’re shifting our focus to enhancing the lifestyle of seniors.”
As a significant move in that direction, over the past two years, K-B House has undergone a major expansion and renovation in the independent living and skilled nursing areas. “For instance, we’ve added 43 new, beautifully appointed independent living apartment homes and new amenity spaces,” she said. In order to continue to meet the growing desire for more upscale spaces across the entire community, K-B House is developing several new one- and two-bedroom apartments in assisted living.
“We want to be the senior living community in the western suburbs. We want to continue to differentiate ourselves. There’s not any other place like K-B House. We’re in the heart of a beautiful and vibrant neighborhood and are surrounded by nature. We’re on a breathtaking 35-wooded acre property adjacent to the 52 acres of Katherine Legge Memorial Park. Within our doors are breathtaking amenities and restaurant-style dining venues. There’s a different feel to our campus than anywhere else,” she said.
As K-B House moves forward with exciting new developments, Rebecca is guiding the community toward a future that honors its rich history while embracing innovation in senior living. King-Bruwaert House is not just preserving its legacy; it’s defining a new standard for senior living in the western suburbs.
