ALLON LEFEVER


WHY I SERVE T


hirty-six individuals volunteer their time and talents as members of one of the five boards of directors


overseeing Landis Communities and its affiliates. Tis column will feature a member of one of the boards and will list those who serve with the highlighted individual.


Can you tell me a little about yourself?


I’m from Lancaster. My father was a florist and I thought I would follow in the family business. At the age of 12, I started learning about management and running a business. But refrigeration changed the local flower industry, so I decided to pursue other avenues. My career has included large companies, like High Industries, as well as entrepreneurial efforts, like an internet start-up with my son. I led the Family Business Institute at Goshen College in Indiana and later the MBA program at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, VA. I now serve on 13 boards of directors – seven corporate and six non-profits. Having a product, service or cause I am passionate about makes this work very rewarding.


When did you first hear of Landis Homes/


Landis Communities? I’ve known about Landis Homes for many years because both my grandparents and my wife Doris’ parents lived there. While at EMU, I served on the board of another retirement community. We were making plans to move back to Lancaster when I got a call from Larry Zook. He gave me a tour of Steeple View Lofts and I was very intrigued.


When did you realize you wanted to be


part of the organization? One of the things I enjoy about board service is helping an organization determine direction, explore possibilities, and find their path. I liked that Landis Communities was serving various markets and initially agreed to join the Landis Quality Living Board [overseeing Steeple View Lofts]. Landis Communities has a good governance structure. Teams are built around common long-term strategies, and I like how the various parts of the organization work together.


What happened then? It became clear that the Landis Communities board would be a good fit for me because of my desire to help the broader constituency. I embraced the challenge of growing the organization


Cultivating


with the goals of being a top CCRC [Continuing Care Retirement Community], meeting the needs of the middle market and developing products for those who face financial challenges.


What goals/


dreams do you have for Landis Communities?


Te biggest goal is for us to be able to provide high quality service to more people. I also want the organization to be financially healthy and have long-term sustainability. Trough growth and change, it is very important that we maintain our values and our culture.


What do you want others to know about why you serve on the Board of Landis


Communities? I believe in the mission of Landis Communities. It is a Christian organization focused on serving the needs of a broad spectrum of older adults, and I’m excited by this challenge. I like the commitment to quality, along with the caring environment. I look forward to continuing to explore how to provide diverse settings for those with a breadth of needs.


LANDIS COMMUNITIES BOARD MEMBERS


• Allon Lefever, chair • Glen Moffett, vice-chair • Dan Mast, secretary • David Hernley, treasurer • John Eby


• Bill Hartman • John Lines • Nelson Okanya • Hilda Shirk • Daniel Wubah


Allon Lefever currently serves as Chair of the Landis Communities Board. Allon and his wife, Doris, live in Lancaster.


Life, Together


Landis.org | FLOURISH | Spring 2020 • 27


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