Meet Atherton Baptist Homes
Atherton Baptist Homes (ABH) is a licensed, not-for-profit Continuing Care Retirement Community, also known as a Life Plan Community, that provides a place for retired Baptist ministers and missionaries to find comfort, friendship, and care. Atherton offers independent living, in-home care, assisted living, skilled nursing, short-term rehab, memory care, and hospice services to meet the changing needs of people as they age.
For over 100 years, Atherton has been pursuing its vision of honoring those who have served in Christian ministry. That vision has remained clear and focused across the years, through wars, economic strife, and one national crisis after another.
A high bar set
Atherton Baptist Homes needed to find someone to fill the essential role of CEO on their team. This person would have direct charge of the affairs and management of the corporation. Their search team needed to find someone with the necessary soft skills and experience to lead and supervise employees effectively. They would also look for technical skills necessary for maintaining the accounting system and maintaining oversight of daily operations. Once found, this person would ensure the highest standard of quality.
It goes without saying that finding the right person to be the next CEO was a vital step for ABH’s continued success.
Finding a unicorn
Determined to find the right person, Atherton partnered with Vanderbloemen and met with Senior Executive Search Consultant Jay Mitchell. Alongside ABH’s search team, Jay flushed out a profile of the dream candidate based on the existing staff culture and job description. Before long, the search was underway.
Executive Search Recruiter Will Hancock sifted through applications as they rolled in and assembled a list of the best matches. After a round of interviews, he and Jay presented the strongest seven candidates to Atherton’s search team. While the whole slate was full of candidates who checked the boxes, one stood out from the start as Atherton’s unicorn.
Following a calling
Brett Meredith had an impressive resume that demonstrated his capability to lead Atherton’s team with a high standard. Brett served at a high level in the Salvation Army and was the President and CEO of a large food bank before going down to South Carolina to be with family.
The time was right to move on to the next step, though. Brett felt a calling into a faith-based organization to share the hope of Christ, leading him and his wife to Alhambra, CA to join Atherton’s team.
He brings the right blend of business savvy and pastoral sensitivity that ABH was looking for,” Jay said. “Both he and ABH couldn’t be happier.”
