About Us

Since the very beginning of my nursing career, everyone asks me “what inspired you to do nursing, why and how did you start this Heartwood Homes?” I always knew that the reasons why they were interested in asking me these types of questions were for two reasons. First was because of my younger age, and secondly is the fact that I am a male in a more predominate female field. I have always enjoyed being asked these questions for they remind me of someone very special, my grandma Sophie.

As a young child, I grew up with my mother and my sister at home in Appleton, WI. My mother was a very hard working woman, owning a beauty shop, mostly servicing older or retired women. I often spent many days at “the shop” talking with the customers and getting to now them to the point whereas if I wasn’t there at the shop at any given day, the sweet older ladies would ask my mother about me and so forth. From early on I learned to respect and communicate with the aged. I learned a special touch and closeness with them. And since my mother worked so often, I went to my grandmother’s home frequently for weeks at a time. I spent quality time with my grandmother. If she didn’t take me fishing, she took me swimming, fruit picking for her homemade pies, or just drove around the county-side in search for rummage sales. Not only did I respect her for these reasons and spending quality time with me, but she too was a very hard working woman. Nearly every afternoon I would wait at the end of her driveway, waiting for her to come home from work. I would watch for her car down the road coming closer and closer. When she arrived and got out of her car and walked towards me, she would be wearing a white nurse’s uniform. My grandma was a C.N.A at King Veterans Nursing Home in Waupaca for 25+ years. When she arrived home, she would sit down on the swing with me and I would listen to her tell stories about her work and the residents she provided care for. I could hear the joy in her voice and feel the passion she had for her work and the people she served. There was no complaining, there was just pure enjoyment and laughter. Through the many years of listening to her heartfelt stories, my grandma taught me the real meaning in life. And that was to help people, with passion.

It wasn’t until I was 18 that I became a CNA myself. I worked at nursing homes in the Fox Valley jumping from home to home searching and longing for that sense of passion and quality care that my grandma talked about so freely. With the current staff shortages and big corporations, I quickly got discouraged and left eldercare all together. I felt guilty leaving the people in need but I knew that as a young CNA, I did not have the experience or respect to change nothing. In my heart I knew I would be back someday to fight another day. With this mindset and discontent, only drove me to do become a person in power that could actually influence and change the way we care for elderly. I followed my passion and commitment and went to college for nursing. Upon graduating as a Registered Nurse at the top of my class from the Fox Valley Technical College, I still knew that more experience and education was going to be needed to actually make a difference in a corporate run nursing home. I continued my education at Concordia University and earned my Bachelors Degree - Business Administration in Health Care.

After a few years practicing as a RN and just receiving the Health Care Administration Degree, I figured it was time to do what I set out to do. I applied for an Assistant Director of Nursing job for an area nursing home and was offered the position. After 6 months, I was promoted to the Director of Nursing position. With this new position I quickly realized that I was back to my calling and I was finally in a position to make change. I made many changes during those couple of years at the nursing home. Staff and family members to this day still call me and thank me for the efforts and self sacrifices I made for them to better the system, which solid policies are still in effect today. And although I loved making positive changes in a large community affecting many, I wanted more. I wanted more passion like my grandma had. I wanted to know my residents middle names. I wanted to know where they came from, what they experienced in life. I wanted to be friends with their family, working together as a team, hopefully one day being accepted as a member of their family as well. And most importantly, I wanted to provide the highest in quality care standards for each person that I took care of, assuring the best of care on a daily basis.

With my wife Lynn, three children, and plenty of family support and prayers we were able to open Heartwood Homes Senior Living in January 2002.

Heartwood Homes has been a huge success, personally, and for the community. People recognize our passion for quality. We will continue Our Mission daily to provide your loved ones with dignity and the utmost respect. They deserve nothing but the best.

From our family to yours we welcome you into our homes.