Waveny LifeCare Network Elects New Board Members

New Canaan, CT, March 13, 2020 --(PR.com)-- New Canaan – Six new members have been elected to Waveny LifeCare Network’s board of directors: Ronald Balzano, Peter Bridgman, Marian Curtis Blair, Mary Franco, David Hunt, and Penny Young.

The board unanimously elected Kathleen A. Corbet as Chairman of the Board, Leo Karl III as Vice Chairman, Marian Curtis Blair as Secretary, and David Hunt as Treasurer to lead the 5-star nonprofit eldercare organization. The board would also like to recognize the contribution and leadership of Tom Ferguson, who served as board chairman for the past two years.

Ronald Balzano has over 30 years of financial services, legal, accounting and tax experience, most recently with Morgan Stanley, focusing on developing customized investment strategies, retirement, estate and tax planning strategies for his clients. Ron has lived in New Canaan for over 25 years and is an active member of the community. He has served New Canaan as a board member of the Library (as Treasurer), Environmental Commission, New Canaan Cares, Baseball, Town Committee, The Outback Teen Center (as legal counsel), and as Chairman for the "Clean Your Mile" campaign.

Peter Bridgman served in leadership roles for PepsiCo Inc. for more than 25 years as Senior V.P., Corporate Controller, and General Auditor. He has had worldwide responsibility for financial reporting, governance and control for PepsiCo as the leader of Global Shared Services’ Division. His vast board experience with public and private corporations, along with not-for-profit institutions includes Movado Group, Inc., Alltel Corporation, Manhattanville College, Manhattan Theater Club and Pepsi Bottling Ventures. He has also been a guest lecturer at Dartmouth, Boston College, Yale University, and Fairfield University.

Marian Curtis Blair is Senior Vice President at Westport Capital Partners LLC where she serves as an in-house transactional attorney. Before joining Westport Capital Partners in 2011, she was an associate at the law firm of Goodwin Procter, LLP for over four years, where she represented domestic and foreign investors, fund sponsors, institutional investment advisors, and investment banks in a variety of real estate transactions. Ms. Curtis is admitted to the New York State Bar and is registered as Authorized House Counsel in Connecticut.

Mary Franco has more than 30 years’ experience in the non-profit and corporate sectors. Her expertise in strategic planning, board leadership development, and governance enables her to bring creative solutions to an organization's biggest challenges. Before establishing her consulting practice, Mary worked for four years as Executive Director of the White Plains Hospital Foundation and prior to that, she worked for eight years at Vice President for Public Affairs, and President of the Foundation at Norwalk Hospital. Mary is Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees at Merrimack College and is a member of the Board of Directors of First County Bank.

David Hunt has worked for 36 years as an actuary for Hewitt Associates – a management consulting firm, overseeing the actuarial practice on the east coast. He also served as Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee while at Hewitt Associates. Dave’s vast board experience includes the United Way of New Canaan, the New Canaan Community Foundation, Inspirica, Visiting Nurse and Hospice of Fairfield County, The Senior Center of New Canaan, Silver Hill Hospital, and the New Canaan Land Trust. He has also volunteered with CERT, the Red Cross, and the New Canaan Beautification League.

Penny Young is a 45-year resident of New Canaan, and is an accomplished gerontologist. She received her MS in Gerontology from the College of New Rochelle and her BA in Modern Languages from the University of Delaware. Ms. Young currently sits on the CT Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity and is the President of the Connecticut Area Agencies on Aging. She is also the past president of the Southwestern CT Area Agency on Aging. She is a founding member and president of the Elder Care Council of New Canaan and is the president of the Senior Center of New Canaan at the Lapham Community Center. Ms. Young has also been elected to the Town Council of New Canaan for a 6th term.

“We are extraordinarily blessed to have such distinguished and accomplished individuals to serve on the board of directors for Waveny. I believe that it directly reflects the commitment that our organization has to excellence,” said Russ Barksdale, Waveny’s president and CEO.

Waveny LifeCare Network is a nonprofit organization providing a comprehensive continuum of healthcare to serve the changing needs of older adults from all areas, including enhanced independent living at The Inn, assisted living and short-term respite care for people with memory impairment at The Village, and skilled nursing, inpatient and outpatient Rehabilitation Services at Waveny Care Center. It also includes the Brown Geriatric Evaluation Clinic, an Adult Day Program that provides free door-to-door transportation throughout most of lower Fairfield County, and an array of community-based services through Waveny Home Healthcare and Waveny at Home. For more information, call 1-855-WAVENY-1 or visit www.waveny.org.