Bowling Green honors Elmwood CEO Hunt

Kathy Hunt, CEO of Elmwood Centers in Tiffin, Green Springs, Fremont and New Bremen for more than 30 years, recently was recognized for her role in leading the rehabilitation and eldercare facilities with her induction into the Dallas-Hamilton Entrepreneurial Hall of Fame at Bowling Green State University. A 1984 graduate, Hunt was honored in a formal ceremony April 9 at BGSU. Her siblings, children, mother and other family members attended. Inductees are members of the regional community or BGSU degree holders “who have achieved distinction for founding, leading or building a new business enterprise for five years or more.” Hunt was one of four 2015 honorees. During the ceremony, Hunt gave a speech in which she explained how her youthful experiences evolved into a career. Her parents, Judy Downey and Ron Robinett, purchased Elmwood Nursing Home in Green Springs in 1972. Hunt remembered many former residents who shared stories about their once-active lives and a desire not to be isolated and ignored. Hunt spent many hours at the home giving personal care to its residents. When it was time to consider life after high school, Hunt knew she wanted to become a licensed nursing home administrator. BGSU had the program she needed, and it was close to home. In her talk, she said at BGSU she “learned how to learn” and gained confidence. With degree in hand, she immediately became the Elmwood CEO. “We had one 31-bed nursing home in Green Springs. My mother owned the home and I started running it for her and have taken Elmwood through its years of development,” Hunt said. Now the owner, president and CEO, she estimates more than 700 employees and about 560 residents in all Elmwood facilities. In 2009, Hunt purchased St. Francis Health Care Centre in Green Springs. Then Elmwood in New Bremen opened in 2010. Most recently, Elmwood in Fremont opened a newly-constructed Alzheimer’s unit and added skilled nursing beds in October 2014. Hunt said the expansion made 70 new jobs available. “We’re always looking for heatlhcare workers. That’s a big need,” she added. Elmwood also provides services for MRDD adults with three group homes in Green Springs. Two have eight beds and one has seven beds. MRDD clients can live in one of the group homes or receive assistance through the home and community-based program. As an example, Hunt said staff might arrange for two or three individuals to rent an apartment together. “Then our staff goes in and helps them, based on their needs,” Hunt said. “Our staff might help them with their dinner or help them in the morning. Some folks need a lot of help because they might have disabilities.” Another arm of Elmwood is Wynn-Reeth. Jarrod Hunt, Kathy’s step-son, runs the company which serves about 150 MRDD clients in the home and community-based program. Hunt said Jarrod has clients in about 10 counties. He also founded a home security division that provides devices to enable MRDD individuals to live independently. Elmwood’s services include independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing and rehabilitative care and specialty/long-term acute care. Hunt said her company has been working to comply with the recent health care changes that have caused a decrease in revenue. “They’ve taken Medicare and privatized it,” Hunt said. “The insurance companies are providing coverage. My advice to seniors is to stay on traditional Medicare plans as long as you can, because you get a lot better benefits.” Her focus is adapting the existing Elmwood facilities and refining the services, policies and procedures. The state of Ohio is offering a new program called “Music and Memory” that Hunt hopes to add to the Alzheimer’s units at all the Elmwood Centers. The only project in the works right now is renovating the “Reminiscence Neighborhood” at Elmwood at the Shawhan. “I’m thinking it’s time to take a little bit of a break,” Hunt said. “I think we’re good for awhile.”