FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Priority Life Care (PLC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Trent Schott as Vice President of Corporate Soul, a leadership role focused on strengthening how PLC welcomes, trains, develops and supports team members throughout their careers.
In his new role, Schott will oversee the strategic direction and continued development of PLC U, Priority Life Care’s onboarding, education and training platform. The initiative represents a major step toward President and Co-Founder Bobby Petras’ vision of making PLC U the gold standard for training and development in the senior living industry.
For PLC, that means fundamentally rethinking the traditional approach to employee training.
Rather than treating onboarding as something that happens during an employee’s first few days, the next generation of PLC U will create a structured learning journey that begins on day one and continues throughout an employee’s first 90 days—and ultimately throughout their career with PLC.
Following initial orientation and role-specific onboarding, employees will receive additional training at designated intervals throughout their first 90 days. Competency testing will then measure whether employees have retained and can apply what they have learned.
The distinction is important: PLC U will be designed not simply around completing training, but around building competency.
“Training has to be more than checking a box or getting someone through their first few days,” said Bobby Petras, President and Co-Founder of Priority Life Care. “We want every person who joins PLC to understand who we are and the culture we’ve worked so hard to build what we expect and why their role matters to both PLC and the community. Trent has spent his career developing people, building leaders and creating accountability across large organizations. He understands the vision for PLC U and, more importantly, how to build a system that can grow with our people and our company.”
Putting the Vision Into Practice
Working under Schott’s leadership, Brian Gallo and Enoch Paul will lead the execution of PLC’s training and onboarding program, helping translate the PLC U strategy into a consistent experience across PLC communities.
The enhanced curriculum will also incorporate expanded person-centered training, connecting employees more deeply to the individuals they serve. Team members will learn not only policies, procedures and the technical requirements of their positions, but how those responsibilities connect to each resident’s individual history, preferences, routines, choices and goals.
The objective is to help employees understand not simply what they need to do, but why it matters to the person receiving the care or service.
This structure brings together Petras’ vision for PLC U, Schott’s strategic oversight, and Gallo and Paul’s execution of training and onboarding, creating clear accountability from vision through implementation.
A Career Built Around Leadership and Development
Schott brings more than 20 years of leadership experience to Priority Life Care, with a background spanning multi-state operations, leadership development, employee training, compliance and organizational performance. His experience includes advising and training managers and working cross-functionally with human resources, operations and other business units.
Most recently, Schott served as a Director of Labor Relations for AT&T, where he supported operations across as many as 20 states. His responsibilities included partnering with HR and business units and delivering training and onboarding related to procedures and compliance.
Earlier in his career, Schott spent a decade in sales and operational leadership. During that time, he developed leadership teams, created development and leadership skill sessions, conducted training across multiple markets and led teams responsible for operational excellence, customer experience and compliance.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to build something that can make a real difference for people from the day they join PLC,” said Trent Schott, Vice President of Corporate Soul. “When people have the right training, clear expectations and leaders who are invested in their development, they’re more confident in their roles and better prepared to succeed.
That’s what we want PLC U to provide—not just during someone’s first 90 days, but
throughout their career. And in senior living, that investment in our people ultimately shows up in the experience we provide to our residents and families.”
About Priority Life Care
Priority Life Care is a family-owned senior living operator based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, providing management and consulting services to senior living communities across the United States. Founded by siblings Sevy Petras and Bobby Petras, PLC specializes in independent living, assisted living and memory care, with a focus on creating communities where residents receive personalized care, meaningful experiences and the support to continue living life on their terms.
Through its family of communities and programs, Priority Life Care combines local
leadership with the resources and expertise of a national senior living organization. PLC remains focused on developing its people, strengthening the communities it serves and continually improving the experience of residents, families and employees. For more information, visit www.prioritylc.com.
###
Media Contact: Jill Record | (260) 217-4511 | [email protected]