A message sent to team members and residents on August 9: With the retirement of John Cowan, Executive Director of Givens Estates, we decided to create and hire a Chief Operating Officer. In addition to providing additional operational support, the purpose of this position is to aid in the identification of internal efficiencies and the development of consistent Operation’s policies and procedures across our organizations.

During the preceding months, we evaluated sixty-seven applications and conducted interviews with six candidates. We are pleased to announce that Scott Farkas has accepted the position of Chief Operating Officer.

Scott is a familiar presence within our Givens Communities, boasting an extensive background of over 15 years in the nonprofit healthcare sector. His professional journey began in public accounting at Dixon Hughes, where he consulted nonprofits, hospitals, governmental entities, and senior living providers.

However, it was in the realm of senior living that Scott discovered his true calling and expertise. This revelation led him to Givens Highland Farms in September 2012, where he assumed the position of Controller. His exceptional leadership played an instrumental role in navigating the campus through an acquisition transition, culminating in the establishment of a financial foundation alongside his colleagues.

Building upon this success, Scott’s contributions were recognized, propelling him to the Controller position at Givens Estates in 2014—a role he capably fulfilled until December 2020.  Subsequently, he embraced a new challenge as the Chief Financial Officer at ThriveMore, a distinguished senior living provider with multiple locations. In this capacity, Scott shouldered the responsibility of ensuring formidable financial performance, spearheading the transformation of an underperforming facility through divestiture and acquisition, and facilitating the organization’s unwavering growth trajectory.

Beyond his financial acumen, Scott engaged in a collaboration with Sales and Marketing, amplifying the organization’s census while diligently streamlining operational efficiencies across all facets of the enterprise.

Scott provides Givens with a solid understanding of the areas of Operations that we can improve. Scott and his family expect to return to Givens in October after relocating to Asheville.

During this transition, we will initiate the application process for the Executive Director position at Givens Estates. This will allow us to promptly make a decision once Scott joins our team.

We are thrilled to begin these transitions as we continue to evolve and improve the services Givens Communities offers.

Kevin Schwab, Chief Executive Officer