Monday, former CEO facilitator Mick Howrey organized a jam-packed morning for us.

First, we met with Allie Schlau, Activities & Marketing Director for Carriage Crossing Assisted Living in Arcola, then Pastor Ken Bunker, and finally Mick, himself. Then we ran out of time (to be continued next week).

"Nobody wants to be here. It's hard conversations; it's sad conversations. But, it's also a chance to start a new chapter." - Allie Schlau

Allie Schlau has been Activities & Marketing Director at Arcola's Carriage Crossing for about a year and a half. Schlau attended Eastern Illinois University and studied accounting until a professor suggested she investigate marketing. And she found her fit.

Schlau talked to us about high rate of turnover in healthcare, the difference between private pay assisted living care and skilled care nursing homes, admissions, and the various business opportunities within assisted living:
- Culinary: nutritionists, dietary specialists, food safety, cooks, etc.
- Nursing: caregivers (min. 18 years old), CNAs, working the floor, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech Therapists, outside contractors, transitional caregivers, etc.
- Entertainment: musicians, activities, games, hired vs. volunteer
- Marketing: referrals from services like A Place for Mom and Care.com, senior scammer stoppers, opportunities for local referral teams, senior education, lawyers, admissions...
- Maintenance: building, snow removal, lawn care, etc.

We toured a Carriage Crossing apartment, and met a few residents.

Schlau says, "There's definitely always better ways to do things, and improving to be done. But definitely, if you go into senior care - be an advocate."

After Schlau, Pastor Ken Bunker joined us. He may be a pastor at the First Christian Church of Arcola now, but he spent decades in industrial factories.

First, Bunker started at Caterpillar in Peoria as a finish welder. "Welding is an art," he says, which appealed to him as someone who also painted. Eventually, Bunker found his way into the safety side of the plant, in 2016 becoming the Environmental Health & Safety Manager.

Bunker introduced us to concepts like Recordable Injuries, proud of the fact that with about 2,000 employees while he was in charge of safety, Caterpillar only had 2 R.I.. Bunker also talked about "standard work", an initiative focused on quality, safety and velocity.

After Caterpillar, Bunker moved to southern Illinois and worked at Continental Tire, then at The Libman Company (Arcola) when he moved to Arcola; both times in safety.

Bunker sees similarities between being a pastor and working in safety. Both are about saving lives.

The last message Bunker had for us: "Your communities are proud of you." He stressed the good he saw us doing in programs like CEO, and how each of our communities support us and recognize what we are doing.

Thank you, Pastor Ken and Allie Schlau, for taking time out of your busy days to share your experience and advice with us. It's people like you that are the educators in programs like CEO.