Springfield Executive Profile: Donna Peterson

Profile: The life and work of a Springfield executive


BACKGROUND

Name: Donna Peterson

Title: Administrator

Organization: Bayberry Commons Assisted Living & Memory Care at 2211 Laura Street in Springfield. Opened in April 2007, Bayberry Commons has 48 assisted living apartments and 13 private memory care studio apartments. The organization’s mission is “creating environments where moments of joy, independence, and wellness are the focus each and every day.” It offers a safe, secure, and comfortable environment for elders in our community.

Work Experience: Worked in physicians’ education several years; opened a regional training center for Farm Credit Services in Wichita, Kansas; taught a certification program at LCC for adult foster care providers; did training and life coaching for executives while with United Healthcare in Portland; joined Ridgeline Management Co. in October 2006 to open and become administrator of Bayberry Commons.

Education: M.A. Marylhurst University – Gerontology (Alzheimer’s emphasis); B.S. Northwest Christian College – Business.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Business Philosophy: I’m egalitarian and a delegater. I believe in hiring good people and letting them do their job. We have a great staff of professionals at Bayberry Commons who love working with our residents.

Core Values: An attitude of gratitude. A strong faith. Love and respect for others. Integrating the personal and professional (they are not separate).

Measures for Success: Being able to enrich people’s lives. Acting on my beliefs and following through even in times of adversity.

Goals Yet to Achieve: I want to start a Ph.D. program by June 2008 in health services (behavior issues); to revisit my Italian language skills and travel to Italy again; to learn to play the piano and guitar and work in sculpture again. And I want to spend more time with my 3-year old grandson in Atlanta!

Personal Mottos: “You can always do something better (so nothing is a criticism)” and “Lack of information breeds discontent.”

Words That Best Describe You: Enthusiastic. Effervescent.


KEY BUSINESS DECISIONS

Toughest Decision: In one of my jobs at Farm Credit in Kansas, we went through five reorganizations. I had a staff of 100 that I had to reduce to 10 people. Letting people go is difficult especially during reorganizations.

Worst Decision: I see all decisions as learning experiences so there are no “worst” decisions.

Best Decision: If I had to identify a “best”, it would be deciding to leave healthcare to go into the business world where I gained the experience I needed to be a manager.

Missed Opportunities: If I had lived in a different day and age, I would have been a fashion designer (I love shoes!) or become a naturopathic doctor.

Mentors Who Mattered Most: Three women – Ruth Derwok at the medical school where I worked and at Marylhurst, Jennifer Sasser who headed the gerontology department and Debra Bokowski in lifespan development were mentors. And my husband, Bill, has been a wonderful mentor in my life.

CONFESSIONS

Best Part of Your Job: I absolutely love working with our residents. They teach me so much! And I love working with our staff who do such a wonderful job with the people we serve.

Worst Part of Your Job: Paperwork!

Trait You Most Seek in People You Hire: Optimism … and love for the work they will be doing.

First Work You Did For Pay: Besides babysitting, I worked in the record department for the first discount store (David’s) in Wichita, Kansas. I worked nights and during the summer. It was fun and I enjoyed the music and the people.

Most Important Life Lessons: Always admit when you are wrong. What you may have considered mistakes will turn into ‘diamonds’ when you look back later in life.

Your Life Passions: Having a really happy marriage and building on it every day.

Pet Peeves: People not being organized, including myself when I get overloaded with paperwork.

Living Person Most Like to Meet and Have A Conversation With: I’d like to speak with Dr. David Snowden, an epidemiologist who led the Nun Study, a longitudinal study of health and aging. We’d talk about his work with Alzheimer’s disease.

Top Choice for a New Career: I would be a naturopathic physician.

Personal Legacy That Matters Most: To have been a good mother, grandmother, and wife. To have left my loved ones with an understanding of the importance of giving back to others and to life.

FAVORITES

Most Influential Book: The Bible.

Last Book Read: “The Glass Castle: A Memoir” By Jeannette Walls

Memorable Movies: “Sweet November” and recently “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”

Enjoyable Musician/Music: I love opera and Pavarotti. And I enjoy Billy Holiday.

Websites Most Often Visited: Expedia.com (I love to travel!)

Best Advice You Ever Received: The best advice I received for business was “Always look at the other side of things before making a decision.” And personally, when my husband’s Uncle Dick asked (before Bill and I got married): “What are going to do when you have a fight?”

Quote You Often Say: “We can always do things better.”

First Choice for Spending Free Time: Fishing with my husband (on the Williamson River or in Alaska).

Best Vacation Destination: Italy (Florence is my favorite city).

Most Visited Restaurant: 3-Square in South Eugene. My favorite restaurant is The Stinking Rose in San Francisco.

Favorite Food/Cuisine: Fish

Causes You Support/Volunteer Work: The Alzheimer’s Association and Womanspace.

Cherished Memories: Giving birth to my daughter and being there when she gave birth to my grandson.

Cherished Possessions: My bible. And our family has a “crazy quilt” that goes back to the days of Abraham Lincoln. The quilt came from my great, great grandfather who helped with the Underground Railroad in Kentucky. It moved with our family to Kansas and my daughter now has it in her care in Georgia.

How You’d Like to Live Your Last Day: I’d like to be surrounded by my family at the Oregon Coast in Yachats. I have a very happy life and no regrets.

-- Interviewed by Todd Peterson, The Springfield Beacon. Email your suggestions for business executive profiles to todd@springfieldbeacon.com.