Champ Chain Winner: Theo Carter

"Theo prides himself on efficiency and making our residents, staff members, and vendors happy. Theo lives onsite and has earned the nickname "Uncle Theo" from the residents and employees, as he feels like a part of everyone's family. I see Theo doing things like jumping residents' car batteries, carrying groceries, giving daily treats to our resident pups...there is nothing asked of him that Theo isn't willing to help with. Theo is our chef at resident events and stays to help clean up at the end of every social event. Last month we did a "Cheers and Beers" event for St. Patrick's Day, and Theo cooked all the food for our event. Many of our reviews praise him and his staff for their work; Theo is my right hand, a great friend and teammate, and he is the HU Champ! " - Nominated by Rebekah Wolford and Mitch Waranch at The Pavilion. 

Thank you, Theo, for your dedication to our mission statement and for bringing so much joy to our residents and our team! We appreciate you!! 

Honorable mentions to the other April nominees below:

April Champ Chain Nominees

Alicia Pae, River Gate

Felipe Juarez, The Cottages

Frank Ransom, Helix

Jeremy Orta, The Cottages

Jordyn Kitko, The Valley

Keara Lynn, The Cottages

Naiya Patel, The View

Neka Smith, The Cottages

Riley Kelly, The View

Tinesha Smith, The Cottages 

Tyler Devol, River Gate

Who will our May Champ be? What are YOU going to do today to provide the best resident life experience possible?

Employee Spotlight: Robert Banks

Job Title: Talent Acquisition Specialist

Community: Home Office  

How long have you been with Homestead? 11 months and 18 days

What were you doing before Homestead? Working for Washington Prime Group as a Junior Recruiter and much more!

Where are you originally from? Columbus, OH

What are your hobbies? Working out, cooking, exploring cities (pre-pandemic), gaming

What would you most likely tell your 13 year old self?  

Get out and make things happen!

If you could have coffee with three people, dead or alive, who would it be?  

Dwayne Johnson (The Rock), Paul Walker, and Barack Obama

Who is the most famous person you have ever met? 

Shaq

What's your dream vacation? 

New Zealand

What is one THING you can't live without? Family

What is your proudest moment at Homestead? Recruiting top candidates! I'm making a positive impact in the person's life. I love to see them achieving their goals and the company's goals.

CAPTAIN JOHN’S HEALTH TIP: Get Moving

On average, we spend more than half of our waking hours sitting down: working at a computer, watching television, traveling in a car, or doing other sedentary things such as reading or chatting with friends. But long stretches of uninterrupted sitting have a range of undesirable effects that may harm your heart, says Captain John.

Here are few tips to keep you moving.

1. Set a timer out of arm's reach. Using your smartphone or a regular kitchen timer, set an alarm to go off every 60 minutes during the day when you tend to sit for long periods of time. Put the device across the room to force yourself to get up to turn it off.

2. Pace or tidy up during phone calls. Whenever you're on the phone, stand up. Try to walk back and forth or in circles while you talk. Or use a hands-free headset and straighten up your office or do some light housework while you chat.

3. Move a little while you watch TV. According to a recent Nielsen report, the average American watches five hours of television a day, and that amount increases as people age. Use the two- or three-minute commercial breaks while you are watching TV to stand up. March in place, swing your arms or do some squats or leg lifts.

4. Catch up with friends while walking. Social visits often tend to be sedentary, so instead of meeting a friend for coffee or lunch, take a walk instead. Or take a stroll before or after a dinner date.

5. Take the long way. Whenever you drive somewhere, park in a spot farther from the door to get in some extra steps.

EMPLOYEE REFERRAL : A Message from Rob Banks, Talent Specialist

Hey Team!

 As you all already know, we are constantly growing. For that reason, we are in constant need of talented people like you! When you refer qualified candidates, you will receive $250 when the employee surpasses 90 days of employment. To receive the bonus, you must still be an active employee and in good standing with Homestead Companies when your referral hits its 90-day mark. Homestead reserves the right to change or eliminate this policy any time with or without notice.

Eligibility Criteria: You are eligible for a referral award only when you refer external candidates. Turn, Seasonal, and Temporary positions do not qualify for a referral bonus. Employees with a direct or indirect reporting relationship to the position cannot submit for the referral bonus. HR and employees involved in the hiring process/hiring decision for that position cannot submit for a referral bonus. Only one referral award can be given per candidate. If more than one employee refers a candidate, the first referral received will be rewarded if the candidate is hired.

To refer a potential employee, please prompt your contact to fill out an online application for the role you desire on our public careers page.

When you confirm they have applied, please submit the Employee Referral Form.

Notable Anniversaries- May

Donna Stage, River Park, 34 years

Rae McKenney, Olde Towne, 14 years

Tim Kalb, Home Office, 5 years

Dearold Sealey, River Park, 4 years

Janice Kirby, University Village, 3 years

Victoria Hicks, College Station, 3 years

Loskosa Clark, Helix, 3 years

Eve Detter, Home Office, 2 years

Samantha Hume, Home Office, 2 years

Tucker Gillespie, University Village, 2 years

Amanda Matchett, University Village, 2 years

Rylan Romesberg, The View, 2 years

Quishbel Pichardo, The View, 1 year

Marcelina Vazquez, Appian Way, 1 year

Robert Banks, Home Office, 1 year

Jeremiah Orta, College Station, 1 year

Matthew Canterbury, Home Office, 1 year

Anna Moses, University Village, 1 years

Kate Paskvan, Home Office, 1 year

Zachary Wyatt, University Village, 1 years

Homestead Senior Living: Expanding to Miami Township

Should building and site approvals go as planned, we anticipate breaking ground in May of this year for our *fourth* Homestead Village Active Living Community! The newest member of our HSL fleet will be located in Miami Township!

The 122,275-square-foot facility will feature amenities such as a barber shop, salon, game room, fitness center, living room, business center, chapel, post office, pet grooming area and more!

Ben Franklin Kick-Off

In 2006 the first Ben Franklin Award was given to Clintonville Commons. 15 years later the tradition continues for the company with the most curb appeal.  

This year, we're kicking-off the Ben Franklin Awards on Earth Day! Save the date for April 22, 2021 and meet us at Homestead Village in Grove City!  

Champ Chain Winner: Victoria Hicks

Please join us in congratulating the March Champ Chain Winner, the team member who went above and beyond to deliver on our mission statement of providing the best resident life experience possible: Victoria Hicks, our Rockstar Community Manager at The Cottages of College Station!

"Victoria worked hard to keep her residents informed during the power outages from the Texas storms, and navigating all the problems that followed. She showed concern for the well-being of the residents, making sure people had places to stay, somewhere to charge their phones, passed out water, and kept open lines of communication. Well done, Victoria! " - Nominated by Christina Johnson, River Park

Thank you, Victoria, for your continued leadership and commitment to our mission statement, especially during a crisis like our Texas teams navigated last month.

Employee Spotlight: Kate Paskvan

Job Title: Lead Construction Accountant  

Community: Home Office  

How long have you been with Homestead? 10 Months  

What were you doing before Homestead? I was a construction accountant for Equity Construction  

Where are you originally from? Catham, Ohio  

What are your hobbies? Gardening and the occasional house project 

What would you most likely tell your 13 year old self?  

I would tell myself not to worry so much about what other people think.  

If you could have coffee with three people, dead or alive, who would it be?  

Elon musk, Prince, and somebody old timey like Queen Elizabeth I  

Who is the most famous person you have ever met? 

I don't think I've ever met anyone famous 

What's your dream vacation? 

This is a tough one but I think I would have to go with Croatia.  

What is one THING you can't live without? Coffee 

What is your proudest moment at Homestead? I think just overall seeing construction gel as a team