Leadership That Grows From Within
How Internal Promotions Strengthen Culture, Performance, and Care at The Aspenwood Company
In senior living, leadership continuity matters. The people guiding communities, shaping experiences, and supporting residents influence far more than occupancy or revenue—they shape trust, outcomes, and long-term sustainability. At The Aspenwood Company, leadership growth has never been treated as a coincidence or a reward reserved for the few. It is a deliberate strategy rooted in culture, capability-building, and belief in people.
That philosophy was recently highlighted in McKnight’s Senior Living in its People in the News feature, announcing the promotions of Joshua Bentley and Samantha Rincon to Vice President of Sales roles at The Aspenwood Company.
Read the McKnight’s Senior Living article here:
“People in the News: Oct. 28, 2025”
https://www.mcknightsseniorliving.com/news/people-in-the-news-oct-28-2025/
While the headline recognizes individual achievement, the deeper story is organizational: these promotions represent the strength of Aspenwood’s internal leadership pipeline and a people-first culture that translates directly into stronger teams, better resident experiences, and long-term performance.
Why Promoting From Within Matters in Senior Living
The senior living industry is navigating a defining moment. Demand is rising steadily as the first baby boomers turn 80 in 2026, while workforce shortages, burnout, and leadership turnover continue to challenge operators nationwide.
According to Gallup, organizations with highly engaged employees experience:
21% higher profitability
17% higher productivity
59% lower turnover
(Source: Gallup – State of the Global Workplace)
https://www.gallup.com/workplace/349484/state-of-the-global-workplace.aspx
In senior living specifically, leadership stability is closely tied to:
Resident satisfaction
Family trust and referrals
Consistency of care
Regulatory performance
Aspenwood’s approach recognizes that sustainable growth is not built through constant external hiring alone, but through developing leaders who already understand the culture, mission, and responsibility of serving older adults.
A Culture of Internal Advancement at Aspenwood
In 2025, The Aspenwood Company celebrated over 100 internal promotions across operations, clinical services, sales, marketing, HR, and corporate leadership. These advancements are not symbolic—they are strategic.
This commitment to internal mobility aligns with national workforce research. According to the LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report, organizations that prioritize internal career pathways:
Retain employees nearly twice as long
Reduce recruiting costs
Increase engagement and loyalty
https://learning.linkedin.com/resources/workplace-learning-report
At Aspenwood, internal advancement is supported through:
Structured leadership development
Ongoing education via the Aspenwood Institute for Learning (Relias platform)
Mentorship and cross-functional exposure
Clear career ladders tied to readiness—not tenure alone
The promotions of Joshua Bentley and Samantha Rincon exemplify what happens when opportunity meets preparation.
Joshua Bentley, MBA: Strategic Growth With Purpose
Joshua Bentley was promoted to Vice President of Sales after nearly two years with The Aspenwood Company. He holds an MBA in Healthcare Administration and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Healthcare Leadership, reflecting a deep commitment to both strategic growth and ethical leadership in senior living.
Joshua’s leadership is defined by:
Data-informed sales strategy
Multi-site operational understanding
Alignment between occupancy goals and resident-centered outcomes
Mentorship of sales teams across markets
His promotion reinforces Aspenwood’s belief that sales leadership in senior living must go beyond numbers—it must support families during life-changing decisions with clarity, empathy, and trust.
Samantha Rincon: Experience, Mentorship, and Market Insight
Samantha Rincon brings more than a decade of senior living experience to her role as Vice President of Sales. Known for her people-first leadership style, Samantha has played a key role in mentoring sales directors, strengthening training standards, and aligning marketing strategy with authentic community storytelling.
Her promotion highlights Aspenwood’s emphasis on:
Leadership that develops others
Sales cultures rooted in integrity and education
Long-term relationship building with families and referral partners
In an industry where sales turnover is high, Aspenwood’s investment in leaders like Samantha creates continuity for teams and confidence for families.
The Ripple Effect: How Leadership Promotions Impact Residents and Families
Promoting from within is not just a workforce strategy—it is a resident experience strategy.
Research consistently shows that employee engagement and leadership stability directly affect care outcomes. According to Harvard Business Review, high-trust cultures experience:
50% lower turnover
74% less stress
76% higher engagement
https://hbr.org/2017/01/the-neuroscience-of-trust
In senior living communities, this translates into:
Familiar faces for residents
Stronger relationships with families
More consistent care approaches
Higher satisfaction and trust scores
When leaders grow within the organization, they bring institutional knowledge, emotional intelligence, and continuity that cannot be replicated through constant external hiring.
Connecting Promotions to Aspenwood’s Broader Culture Strategy
The promotions of Joshua Bentley and Samantha Rincon align with Aspenwood’s broader cultural philosophy—one that has earned national recognition.
Named among the Top 25 Best Workplaces in Aging Services by Fortune
Recognized as a Great Place to Work® for seven consecutive years
According to Great Place to Work®, employees at certified organizations are:
93% more likely to look forward to coming to work
2x more likely to feel fairly compensated
https://www.greatplacetowork.com/resources
Aspenwood’s culture has been further explored in recent company blogs, including:
Culture as Strategy: How The Aspenwood Company’s People-First Growth Model Drives Sustainable Success in Senior Living
Together, these stories reinforce a consistent message: culture is not a soft metric—it is a strategic advantage.
What This Means for Investors and Partners
For investors and development partners, leadership depth is a critical indicator of organizational health. Companies that promote from within demonstrate:
Strong succession planning
Reduced operational risk
Scalable systems
Long-term sustainability
According to Argentum and NIC MAP Vision, senior living demand will continue to rise sharply through 2030 as construction remains constrained. Operators with stable leadership benches will be best positioned to grow without sacrificing quality.
Aspenwood’s internal promotion strategy signals readiness—not just to grow, but to grow well.
A Model for the Future of Senior Living Leadership
The senior living industry is often measured by buildings, units, and markets. But the future of the industry will be defined by people—the leaders who stay, grow, and elevate those around them.
The promotions of Joshua Bentley and Samantha Rincon are not isolated events. They are evidence of a leadership philosophy that prioritizes:
Development over replacement
Trust over turnover
Purpose over short-term gain
At The Aspenwood Company, leadership growth begins long before a title change—and its impact reaches far beyond it.
Written by – Christina O’Leary
References & Further Reading
McKnight’s Senior Living – People in the News (Oct. 28, 2025)
https://www.mcknightsseniorliving.com/news/people-in-the-news-oct-28-2025/Gallup – State of the Global Workplace
https://www.gallup.com/workplace/349484/state-of-the-global-workplace.aspxHarvard Business Review – The Neuroscience of Trust
https://hbr.org/2017/01/the-neuroscience-of-trustLinkedIn – Workplace Learning Report
https://learning.linkedin.com/resources/workplace-learning-reportGreat Place to Work – Culture and Performance Insights
https://www.greatplacetowork.com/resources