At the 2025 Senior Living Executive Conference in Tampa, the spotlight shone brightly on the professionals and organizations redefining excellence in senior living. During two moving award ceremonies, Argentum honored both the individual caregivers and leaders who go above and beyond each day, and the forward-thinking organizations driving innovation across the industry. These recognitions—the 2025 Hero Awards and Best of the Best Awards—highlight the profound impact of passion, creativity, and commitment in transforming the lives of residents, families, and staff.
Honoring Heroic Individuals
Argentum’s reimagined Hero Awards celebrated extraordinary professionals whose unwavering dedication makes a lasting difference in their communities. This year’s honorees were recognized across four categories reflecting leadership, service, innovation, and emergency response.
- Purpose & Passion Award: Kasey Larsen, Programming Director at Benchmark Senior Living, transformed life enrichment through expressive arts therapy, a custom-built group loom, and intergenerational programming.
- Heart of Service Award: Rehana Tariq, Resident Assistant at Era Living, was recognized for her 33 years of selfless, compassionate care—an embodiment of dignity and devotion.
- Emergency Response Awards: Rhonda Rakes, Administrator at Yadkin Valley Senior Living, heroically led crisis response efforts during Hurricane Helene, ensuring vital supplies and support reached a cut-off sister community.
Betty Murrell, Community Driver at Atria Senior Living, demonstrated fearless determination by evacuating residents during a wildfire under extreme conditions—twice.
- Community Leadership Award: Traci Colvin, Executive Director at Anthem Memory Care, was honored for cultivating a culture of inclusion and excellence, guiding both residents and staff with compassion and purpose.
“These individuals are heroes in every sense of the word,” said James Balda, President and CEO of Argentum. “They represent the heart of our industry, and we are honored to recognize their outstanding contributions to senior living.”
Spotlight on Innovation
At the same event, Argentum also presented the 2025 Best of the Best Awards, honoring programs and initiatives that are setting new benchmarks in senior living innovation. These award-winning ideas tackle operational challenges, foster community, and uplift resident experiences through creativity and care.
- The Arbor Company – The Breakroom Chronicles: A live-performance internal communications series that brings company culture to life and strengthens DEIB efforts.
- Charter Senior Living – Flourish Memory Care Mixology Drink Bar: A unique hydration and sensory program that pairs resident wellness with fun, custom-crafted drinks.
- Commonwealth Senior Living – Pineapple People Praise Program: A real-time employee recognition platform that boosts morale and fosters a culture of appreciation.
- Phoenix Senior Living – The Legacy Project: A moving initiative that captures resident life stories through personalized photo shoots, preserving memories and strengthening purpose.
- Singh Senior Living – Adventure by Waltonwood: A bucket-list program that helps residents fulfill long-held dreams—from skydiving to snowmobiling—proving that adventure has no age limit.
“Each of these programs reflects the spirit of innovation that drives our industry forward,” Balda said. “We are honored to highlight the leaders behind these exceptional ideas and thank them for their creativity, heart, and commitment to excellence.”
A Celebration of the Best in Senior Living
Both award programs were presented during special ceremonies at the Senior Living Executive Conference, powered by HMP Global. Together, they honored the extraordinary people and programs that are helping to make senior living communities vibrant, safe, and meaningful places to call home.
Learn more about the inspiring contributions of this year’s winners.
Mark your calendars: The 2026 Senior Living Executive Conference will take place May 18–20 in Nashville, TN. We look forward to celebrating even more heroes and innovators next year.
