PHOENIX — Stewart Ingram recently celebrated 30 years as an employee with Life Care Services (LCS). His tenure with the company began in 1984 and while there was an eight-year break he was invited to rejoin the company in 2006 as the executive director of Sagewood. At the time, the Phoenix-based property was in its early planning phases, and construction began in March 2008.
“I think of Life Care Services as the premier provider and operator of senior living communities across the country. I take a lot of pride in the fact that I’ve been with LCS for 30 years, and Sagewood is one of the primary flagship communities,” says Ingram.
He adds, “I have a bit of a unique story, having first spent 14½ years with LCS right after graduating from the University of Alabama. I spent seven years between two long-term LCS managed communities in Arizona — Friendship Village Tempe and Sierra Winds in Peoria — before relocating to Kentucky, Pennsylvania and South Carolina. In late 1998 I left LCS to relocate back to Arizona and joined Chicago-based Classic Residence by Hyatt (now called Vi). In 1999 I opened their community in Grayhawk, in North Scottsdale, and in 2005 I opened their community in Palo Alto, California, on the campus of Stanford University. While living in Palo Alto, LCS-Westminster Partnership IV bought 100 acres of land in northeast Phoenix, and my friends at LCS invited me to rejoin the company to lead Sagewood.”
Sagewood is an elite community that has resort-style amenities including a fitness center, two movie theaters, indoor and outdoor pools, an 18-hole putting golf course, an auditorium for multi-purpose use and multiple dining venues. Also on the property are Acacia Health Center and Desert Willow Assisted Living & Memory Care, which provide best-in-class skilled nursing, memory care and rehabilitation therapy.
He says, “One of the things that I like about LCS is that they let you make the decisions for your property. There’s a certain amount of autonomy in what you’re doing and that’s a good feeling. At the same time, LCS has so many resources available to assist communities when needed. It’s really a deep in resources company.”
Sagewood is also one of the largest LCS properties and caters to sophisticated clientele, so Ingram is always aiming for the highest level of service from each employee to help make the residents’ days memorable. “Every month we have a director’s happy hour for our residents and it’s a chance for them to meet the different Sagewood directors,” says Ingram. “We all take turns as host and pouring the wine. The residents really love these because it gives us a chance to come together and enjoy the community that we all have built together.”
About Sagewood
Sagewood is a Life Plan Community located at 4555 E. Mayo Blvd. in Phoenix, featuring resort-like amenities including a fitness center, movie theaters, indoor and outdoor pools, 18-hole putting golf course, auditorium for multi-purpose use, formal and casual dining and health center providing assisted living, memory care support, skilled nursing and a rehabilitative therapy center. Industry leader Life Care Services and Westminster Capital are the joint-venture partners of Sagewood. For more information, visit SagewoodLCS.com.
