Southminster is more devoted than ever to creating a rich, rewarding community where health, wellness, and care are integrated into daily life. Embrace frees residents and their loved ones from unnecessary stress to enjoy fuller and more enriching lives.
Committed to being the region’s leader in providing the very best in contemporary senior living, our team of experienced professionals meet residents and their families at their point of need with personalized solutions, surrounding them with understanding, honor, and compassion.
About Southminster
With Southminster’s recent expansion and renovations, Southminster continues to meet the needs of its residents and those yet to come. With high-demand, larger, more spacious homes, a modern fitness center (with indoor pool), and unparalleled amenities, Southminster continues to set the bar for what retirement living should be. Offering a full continuum of care and a commitment to the highest level of service, Southminster continues the tradition of defining the exceptional retirement experience.
Southminster is a member in good standing with Leading Age, formerly known as the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA) and its state chapter, www.leadingagenc.org. Southminster is fully licensed by the North Carolina Department of Insurance and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
If you are interested in learning more, call to schedule your visit to Southminster and learn how you can enjoy a retirement lifestyle full of choices and possibilities.
Our Mission
Mission
Southminster is a non-profit, charitable community that embraces the individual by fostering a quality of life characterized by choice, independence, well-being, spirituality, dignity, privacy, and peace of mind for each person.
Philosophy
Founded with pride in 1987 by two local churches, Southminster has become the premier non-profit retirement community in the Charlotte area. We serve a vibrant community of residents and others who are living lives to the fullest. With a respected and highly capable staff, Southminster provides the highest quality healthcare, services and programming. Recognizing the uniqueness of every person, we are seen as a national leader in care for the aging. We reach out to those in the community and help them throughout the transition of aging. For many, this includes a physical move to Southminster. We continually update our services and residences so that they are the most attractive in the region. We embrace change, diversity and technology to improve the lives of our residents and others we serve. We have a strong financial foundation which we are continually improving. Southminster is seen as a leader in giving back to the community through its many partnerships and other charitable activities.
Values
- Community
- Southminster residents and others we serve live their lives to the fullest in a collaborative atmosphere of mutual respect, compassion and trust.
- Excellence
Our leadership and staff have a professional dedication to excel at everything they do, knowing such efforts will improve the lives of our residents and others we serve. - Integrity
Our community of staff, residents and others we serve strive for the highest levels of ethical behavior, financial responsibility, fair practices and accountability. - Respect for the Individual
Because every individual is unique, Southminster strives to help each resident and others we serve to maximize their independence and well-being. - Charity and Outreach
Southminster provides residents peace-of-mind so that they can continue to live a dignified life should unforeseen circumstances cause them to outlive their assets. Additionally, Southminster is dedicated to making a difference in the broader Charlotte community through its charitable work and donations.
Leadership
Board of Directors
Rev. Joseph Aldrich
Mrs. Suzanne Bledsoe
Mr. Richard “Dick” Brigden
Rev. Robin Coira
Mr. R. Stuart Dickson
Mrs. Tere Ey
Mr. Gene King
Mr. Joseph Kluttz
Mrs. Hope Parrott
Mr. Jay Rivers
Mrs. Susan Salvin
Rev. Lisa Saunders
Mr. Robert Thomason
Mr. Richard “Dick” Welch
Leadership Team
Ben Gilchrist
President, CEO and Executive Director
Mr. Gilchrist has extensive experience working with non-profit retirement communities, as well as for-profit skilled nursing providers. Prior to being appointed as CEO at Southminster, Mr. Gilchrist served for seven years as Vice President of Operations at Friendship Senior Options, a non-profit provider of senior services and housing in Illinois. Prior to that Mr. Gilchrist served as President of Springfield Masonic Home, a non-profit CCRC in Springfield, OH and Vice President of Operations for Vrable Health Care Company in Columbus, OH, a for-profit provider of skilled nursing. Prior to that position he served as Vice President of Health Care and Community Based Services at Maple Knoll Communities in Springdale, OH, a non-profit provider of senior services and housing. Mr. Gilchrist is a licensed Nursing Home Administrator in Ohio and served on the board of LeadingAge Illinois. He has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration from Bowling Green State University, and a Masters Degree in Business Administration in Applied Management from Indiana Wesleyan University.
Kendra Laughey
Chief Financial Officer
Kenda is a Certified Public Accountant having joined Southminster after a successful 10-year career with Deloitte & Touche. With Deloitte & Touche, she was an Audit Senior Manager focused on health care providers. Kenda graduated from the University of South Carolina where she earned a Bachelor of Science & Business Administration degree and a Master of Accountancy degree.
Mary Cooper, R.N.
Chief Operating Officer
Mary is a seasoned professional in the field of aging services for over 30 years with more than 20 of those years at Southminster. Mary began her career at Southminster as the Director of Nursing with certifications in geriatric nursing and culture change. Prior to being promoted to the COO position, Mary held the title of Director of Health and Wellness and Administrator of Record for Southminster’s Embrace Health. Her responsibilities included all areas of Health and Wellness operations including Nursing, Resident and Family Life, Embrace Care, Life Enrichment, the Wellness Clinic and Wellness/Fitness. As COO Mary now oversees all areas of operations including Embrace Health, Embrace Care, Environmental Services and Culinary Services as well as the development of all policies and programs related to service delivery.
Ben Bumgarner
Health Care Administrator
Bio coming soon.
Arnoldo Marquez
Technology Director
Lisa McClellan
Director of Human Resources
Lisa enjoys over 20 years’ experience in associate relations, training/development, recruiting, benefits and compensation management. Prior to joining Southminster, Lisa was in human resource management with Arbor Acres, a continuing care retirement community located in Winston Salem. Earlier experience includes human resource positions with Honda of America, Visa USA, and Sunrise Medical. A graduate of Longwood College, with a BS in Sociology and Business, Lisa has earned additional certifications in Human Resources Management and Career Architect Training and Development and is a member of the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM). She is also successfully graduated from the Disney school’s course on leadership and management.
Tracy McGinnis
Director of Philanthropy
Tracy has held this newly created role since February, 2014. Prior to joining the senior leadership team at Southminster, Tracy led business development efforts in North and South Carolina in independent living, assisted living, and specialized memory care. Tracy earned a BA in Communications/Journalism and is a published writer with both local and national publications on a variety of topics. She completed her graduate work in the field of Gerontology and was inducted into the Sigma Phi Omega Honor Society with the Gerontological Society of America. Tracy currently serves on the board of directors for the Shepherd’s Center, Council on Aging, Volunteer Transportation Services and is a certified Dementia specialist through the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina. Tracy’s current efforts include expanding Southminster’s philanthropic mission by building community partnerships that focus on education, cultural arts and healthy community initiatives.
Josh Noland
Director of Campus Facilities
Bio coming soon.
Donna Peters
Executive Assistant
Donna joined the Southminster team in 2001. She works with residents, family members, Board members, senior managers, and employees to provide assistance to the Executive Director in areas related to community management. Donna has worked in the field of senior healthcare and senior living since 1990. She has an undergraduate degree in Sociology from Chatham College in Pittsburgh.
Stewart Wiley
Director of Sales and Marketing
Stewart joined Southminster in February 2012, first as a marketing consultant and, today, as its Director of Sales and Marketing. Stewart enjoys over 30 years experience in both the corporate and non-profit sectors that includes directing the sales and marketing efforts of a multi-site developer of continuing care retirement communities; directing the advancement efforts of two prestigious K-12 independent private schools; serving as a national sales executive for a developer of medical information software; and consulting with hospitals on the successful integration of management and physician practices. Stewart is experienced at leading the marketing efforts and advancing the sales initiatives of expanding companies on the threshold of leading their industries. Stewart is a graduate of the The Terry Business College of the University of Georgia.