Following a 20+ year career working in management and operations in the senior living industry, Derek Hansen wanted to build something that would change the way healthcare was delivered by creating a more personalized approach to the big institutional model for senior living residences. He built several senior living facilities, which include Aria Senior Living, Cedar Living, and Aria at Gates Mills on Cleveland’s East Side.
Quoting Winston Churchill, Hansen stated “We shape our buildings and afterwards our buildings shape us.” Their residences are focused on a central common area, with the bedrooms surrounding it, which is intended to reduce isolation and maintain physical mobility. At just 16 beds per residence, their facilities are small compared to typical senior living facilities, which they believe is better for the residents because of the social environment and has also allowed them to retain their staff throughout the pandemic.
Hansen's legal team at Mansour Gavin led him through the zoning ordinances, planning commission, and architectural review board process. They reviewed real estate contracts, consulting agreements, management agreements, and handled trademark matters. In addition to the Real Estate and Corporate and Business Services groups, Hansen also relied upon the firm’s Labor and Employment and Estate Planning groups for additional matters. Hansen stated that “My legal team is truly a strategic partner and was instrumental in helping to grow our business.”
When asked what the key to his success is, he stated “My success comes from surrounding myself with top-notch people. I have complete trust and a great amount of confidence in my legal team.” Hansen is planning on expanding his footprint and adding two additional 32-bed residences in the Greater Cleveland area. His goal is to offer people the opportunity to work for themselves by creating an owner-operated model for facilities and Mansour Gavin is thrilled to be a part of that expansion!
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