Sunrise Senior Living Announces Chief Operating Officer Transition

MCLEAN, Va., Sept. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Sunrise Senior Living, LLC today announced that Chris Winkle has been appointed chief operating officer, and will join Sunrise effective September 9, 2013. Mr. Winkle will succeed Laura McDuffie as COO, who announced she will depart the organization to focus on her health.

"We are excited to add such an experienced individual to the strong Sunrise leadership team," said Mark Ordan, chief executive officer of Sunrise. "Chris' background in operations, particularly in such diverse health care settings, is a unique and truly valuable addition to Sunrise." 

Winkle brings with him 30 years of operational experience in the health services and post-acute care industries.  He comes to Sunrise from MedQuest, Inc., where he served as CEO for nearly a decade. Prior to joining MedQuest, Winkle was the president and CEO of Mariner Health Care, Inc., a long-term health care company with more than 250 skilled nursing facilities in 23 states.

"While I'm delighted to welcome Chris to the organization, it is very difficult to say goodbye to Laura," Ordan said. "She has been a strong leader and mentor for our Sunrise teams for 11 years, and her passion for championing the quality of life for our residents has helped us excel. We are grateful for her dedicated service and wish her the best as she focusses on a full recovery."

Prior to stepping down, McDuffie worked to expand quality programs and services for residents, and to enhance quality, safety and security at Sunrise communities. In taking on the role of COO, Winkle will continue this commitment, overseeing operations in all of the company's communities in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, including Sales, Resident Care and Programming, Development, Facilities Management, Dining and Human Resources. He will also play a vital role in the company's growth strategy.

About Sunrise Senior Living

Sunrise Senior Living, a McLean, Va.-based company, employs approximately 29,000 people. As of August 1, 2013, Sunrise operated 291 communities in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, with a unit capacity of approximately 26,700 units. Sunrise offers a full range of personalized senior living services, including independent living, assisted living, care for individuals with Alzheimer's and other forms of memory loss, as well as nursing and rehabilitative services. Sunrise's senior living services are delivered by staff trained to encourage the independence, preserve the dignity, enable freedom of choice and protect the privacy of residents. To learn more about Sunrise, please visit http://www.sunriseseniorliving.com.  

Contact:
Meghan Lublin
Corporate Communications
(703) 854-0299

SOURCE Sunrise Senior Living, LLC