Kirby Pines Retirement Community | The Pinecone

ON THE PINECONE COVER This time of year I always love to reflect on the past 12months and all of themany accomplishments our team has been a part of. Those accomplishments could not happen without people; people pulling together to accomplish extraordinary things. For instance, Kayla Holland working together with our residents to create one of the deepest and diversified activity calendars in the industry! The result is busy, happy residents, stimulated, staying involved, and continuing to achieve their life goals. Anna Bradford, Rhonda Nelson and the entire Medical Team continue their efforts towards excellence in care as demonstrated through their survey results and maintaining a 5-star rating with CMS. We are #1 in the Mid-South and top 10 in the state of Tennessee! When we talk care, we cannot thank Chris Palmer enough for his efforts in keeping our Independent Residents healthy and making Wellness a part of life here at Kirby Pines. As Executive Chef and Director of Culinary Services, Harold Morris has worked closely with our Resident Food Committee to really enhance our offerings. He continues to bring in fresher ingredients, enhanced menus, and he reopened the Bistro with exciting specials. He has upgraded our wine selections and is hosting a weekly social hour. This all has served to improve resident satisfaction, as demonstrated through their feedback. Mike Rayder has kept our beautifully landscaped grounds and gardens looking picturesque! It truly is like driving into a hidden oasis upon entering our front gate. You just can’t compare what he does seasonally to consistently behold the eye and virtually take our breath away as we look across Lake Latimer. Chuck Neely has the awesome responsibility of keep our campus running. It is not easy when you operate a 43-year-old building and depend upon MLGW infrastructure. We know the frustrations of a power outage or a Wing in the building being too hot or too cold, but what you may not see is how many times crisis is adverted by the quick action or long hours of his team. Chuck is amazing Plant Operator of whom we are all grateful to have on our team! Grateful, Thankful, Happy & Excited Ann Marie Bishop joined as our Director of Accounting in the 2nd quarter of 2025 and has brought stability to her department. She continues to add processes and customer service to the intricate world of accounting. She has been a tremendous addition to the Kirby Pines Family! Someone you may not know is Trudy Schenkenberger, our Director of Human Resources. She manages benefits, personnel policies, and procedures, training and orientation, as well as talent acquisition. Through her team, we continue to attract top talent and continue to maintain appropriate staffing levels, despite the challenging workforce environment of Memphis. Lastly, of course, the glue which holds it all together is Pam Shatraw, my Executive Assistant. Aside from managing me and my daily schedule, she takes Minutes in all standing meetings, oversees all community access control (keys), oversees our gift shop, and supports the Bistro. She is my “Elf on the Shelf!” She is wholly committed to taking care of our residents, families, and guests. That completes our Management Team. We are so grateful to have such a dedicated group of professionals leading their respective departments. They are the reason why you voted Kirby Pines #1 for the 19th year in a row! This is also why we are in anticipation of an exciting and transformational New Year! Merry Christmas to all, and to all a wonderful wrapping up of 2025 here at the beautiful Kirby Pines! Michael J. Brown, Jr. Executive Director, Kirby Pines at Kirby Pines It's hard to believe we have made it to the end of yet another great year at Kirby Pines. With Thanksgiving behind us and the many reasons we are thankful, we have the month of December to enjoy and celebrate our time with family and friends. Our front cover features Mike Jaeger, a man with a heart as big as his smile, who embodies • 2 • The Pinecone | December 2025 Mike Jaeger celebrates our 19th win at the Memphis Most Reveal Party. Kirby Pines is #1 Again! BOARD OF DIRECTORS Dr. James Latimer, Chairman Mr. Rudy Herzke, President Mr. Larry Braughton Mr. Jim Ethridge Ms. Linda Harrington Ms. Mary Ann Hodges Mr. Rusty Linkous Mr. Boyd Rhodes, Jr. RCA STAFF Charlie Trammell President, RCA Michélle Vincent Executive Vice President, RCA Tim Cox Senior Vice President of Finance, RCA Michael Kelly Vice President of Finance, RCA KIRBY PINES STAFF Michael Brown Executive Director, Kirby Pines Mike Abutineh, M.D. Medical Director Ann Marie Bishop Director of Accounting Harold Morris Director of Culinary Mike Rayder Director of Grounds & Landscaping Trudy Schenkenberger Director of Human Resources Chuck Neeley Director of Maintenance Kayla Holland Director of Resident Programs This magazine is produced by RCA 6465 N. Quail Hollow Rd., Suite 400 Memphis, TN 38120, 901-794-2598 Electronic version of The Pinecone is available at www.kirbypines.com the spirit of Christmas bringing love, hope and joy to the community. Our back cover captures some of the many reasons Kirby Pines was voted the Best Retirement Community for the 19th year straight by the readers of the Commercial Appeal - our incredible residents! Thank you all for voting and being the best folks around. Merry Christmas everyone!