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Marilynn Duker
Title: Co-chair and former CEO, Brightview Senior Living
Award category: Senior care
From employee no. 1 at its predecessor company, to the top executive at Brightview Senior Living, Marilynn Duker has seen a lot over her 40-year career there.
Most memorable, though, is her relationships with her colleagues, and the “fun” of seeing them fulfill their professional goals. One of her early administrative assistants rose to marketing manager, and is retiring after 30 years, for example.
“The thing I’m proudest of are the many opportunities I’ve had over the years to help people grow in their careers,” Duker said.
Duker by nature enjoys interacting with people. She built relationships over the years with people throughout the company, and with their families. It fits well with the company culture.
Brightview executives decided early on to prioritize treating their employees well, including individual development plans to help employees gain knowledge and skills needed for promotion and to maintain the Brightview culture.
“Our five-star focus is being a great place to work,” Duker said. “We decided a long time ago, we had to be a great place to work … then we would much more likely be a great place to live for our residents.”
The formula works, and Brightview has been nationally recognized as the best place to work in aging services by Fortune’s research partner, Great Place to Work, four years in a row.
Baltimore-based Brightview operates 45 senior living facilities in eight states and employs more than 5,000 people.
Most people move to a Brightview residence when they are in their 80s.
“We’re doing something very meaningful for people at a vulnerable time in their lives,” Duker said.
Duker is one of six co-owners of Brightview Senior Living. She served for five years as CEO until recently when she completed a planned transition to company co-chair on Sept. 30.
The privately held company has managed growth strategically. Its investors are high-net-worth individuals who don’t pressure Brightview’s executives to grow too quickly, or to sell.
“We’re able to do what we think is in the best long-term interests of our associates and our residents,” Duker said.
Covid-19 presented the greatest challenge in the company’s history. Beginning on March 15, 2020, the company had to rethink every aspect of how it does business. But good things came from it: Brightview adopted technology much faster than it would have otherwise, and decision-making was pushed down the chain for a more rapid response.
“No doubt it was the hardest two years of my professional life,” Duker said.
Company officials are driven to learn and grow. Figuring out new ways to do things motivates them. They also are looking to the future, so they are prepared to answer the needs and meet the expectations of future residents. Those residents will want something different from today’s 80- and 90-year-olds, such as more choice.
“We have no interest in standing still,” she said.
Nor will Duker stand still in her new role as company co-chair. She’ll step away from her day-to-day role in the business but continue to be involved in major strategic decisions. She’ll spend more time with her husband and grandchildren, pursue her hobbies of nature photography and travel, and continue to serve on the boards of Mercy Health Services, University of Maryland BioPark, and the board of trustees for her undergraduate alma mater, the College of Wooster, in Ohio.
“I have long been active on a number of boards, both in and outside of Baltimore, and I plan to continue that involvement going forward,” she said.