BINGHAMTON, NY – The leader of a local long-term care provider is being honored for his contributions to senior living.

Michael Keenan, President and CEO of Good Shepherd Communities, is receiving the Lawrence E Larson Memorial Award of Honor from LeadingAge New York.

LeadingAge advocates on behalf of more than 500 non-profit senior care providers in the state.

Keenan started his career in the nursing home industry in 1980, working his way up through the ranks in food service, purchasing, maintenance, housekeeping, grounds and security.

He says by coming through the ranks he learned about the industry from the inside out.

In 1996, he became an administrator at United Methodist Homes and later Guthrie before taking over Good Shepherd Fairview Home in Binghamton in 2001.

Soon after, the planning for Good Shepherd Village at Endwell began to fill a need to serve active and healthy seniors.

The continuing care retirement community allows seniors to transition from independent cottages through different levels of assisted living to skilled nursing as needed.

Keenan says Good Shepherd Village pioneered a new financial structure which allows for refundable entrance fees and a pay for service model.

“A lot of people said this couldn’t be done. Even more people said it would never be able to be done in Binghamton. We’ve been open and operating 10 years now and we’ve actually become a model for many of the other retirement communities in the state,” says Keenan.

Keenan says he proud of all three retirement homes within Good Shepherd Communities, which also includes Chase Memorial Nursing Home in New Berlin.

He says taking on Chase’s administrative overhead allowed the nursing home to remain in business.
Good Shepherd Communities serves 600 residents with direct or indirect care and employs roughly 500 people.

Keenan will receive his award during a virtual awards ceremony in December.