Rob hands over the reins

A national search for a new ECH chief executive has begun, however, Mr Hankins will stay on until the Board has selected his replacement to enable an orderly transition in the first half of next year.

Mr Hankins will continue to work in the retirement living and aged care sector and will seek opportunities to add value to other organisations as an adviser and consultant.

Chairman of ECH, Dr Tom Stubbs, thanks and praises Mr Hankins who has led ECH’s transformation into a leading, innovative provider of retirement homes and community based services that, more than ever, fulfils its purpose, which is to offer affordable homes and services that support and enrich the lives of older people in their preferred homes.

“Rob can be truly proud of what he has achieved as our leader since May 2001 and all of us at ECH are truly grateful to him,” Dr Stubbs says. “Under Rob’s leadership, ECH has sharpened its focus on affordability and re-invented itself to better meet the evolving needs of the next generation of retirees. ECH was a good organisation when Rob joined us and he leaves us as a great organisation,” he adds.

Having successfully completed the strategic divestment of the organisation’s residential care facilities and set the course for the next stage of ECH’s growth, Mr Hankins thought it was the right time to hand over the reins to the next chief executive to lead the implementation of the Board’s strategy.

“I am tremendously proud of ECH and all its people and I will miss everyone,” Mr Hankins says.

“Now is the right time to appoint a new chief executive who will commit to the next five years or more of our strategic plan. Our management and staff have achieved much over the past decade and are very well placed to lead in continuing to meet the needs of older people over the next decade,” he says.

“ECH can pride itself on its strategic and innovative response to the ever changing and growing needs of older people in our society. Our retirement villages are unique with more than 1,630 dwellings spread over 98 locations in metropolitan Adelaide, Ardrossan, Victor Harbor and in the Adelaide Hills.

“Our ‘small cluster’ strategy enables more people to continue to live independently in their local community. Our growing community care services support people with a genuine ‘reablement’ focus that enables them to live longer in their own home… their home of choice.”

ECH’s move to dedicate itself exclusively to community focused services and independent living retirement villages was confirmed earlier this year with the strategic divestment of all its residential aged care centres in South Australia and the Northern Territory.

This change in focus freed up significant funds for investment in ‘ageing at home’ as ECH increases and diversifies its community services for older people and refurbishes and expands its retirement villages.

Dr Stubbs says society’s expectations around ageing and the needs of older people are changing and ECH is responding.

“ECH’s focus and response is to give more people the opportunity and flexibility to decide where they receive the care and support they require as they age,” Dr Stubbs says.

“ECH will provide assistance and support to the individual to enable them to age confidently, comfortably and independently in their own home; the home in which they choose to live.

“Rob can look back with pride on his legacy as our chief executive… a solid, sustainable, agile and well equipped provider of retirement and aged living services.”