New board members at the Lourie Center

COLUMBIA, SC – With the beginning of the fiscal year ahead, the Lourie Center board of directors voted in a new board chair and three new board members at its annual meeting on June 26, 2014.

Board member and vice chair John Hutto was elected board chair for the 2014-2015 term.   Mr. Hutto has been on the board for four years, serving on the programs committee and as chair of the development committee.  Mr. Hutto is retired from the State of South Carolina Department of Mental Health as public information director and corporate communications director for a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Columbia.  He is also on the board of the Columbia Area Mental Health Center.

New board member Russ Bell is executive director of Finlay House, a HUD subsidized, 18-story residence for the elderly.  Mr. Bell has been in senior housing management since 1992.  Active in Meals on Wheels and other local school and community organizations, Russ is member of the Columbia Rotary Club.

Charles Brown is the owner of Right at Home, a home care agency working directly with seniors and disabled adults.  Charles has been Vice President and subsequently President of the Senior Care Professionals of the Midlands, Board Member of the Alzheimer’s Association of South Carolina, Chairman of the Alzheimer’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Columbia for the past seven years, Chairman of the Caregiver Coalition of the Midlands.  Charles has over 30 years experience in business development and operations for multinational corporations as well as private enterprise.

New board member Karen Coker, R.N. M.N. is presently the Nurse Executive at Palmetto Health Baptist.  She brings over 37 years of hospital administration experience and was the first recipient of the Palmetto Health Leader of the Year award. She has served as a board member for the South Carolina Organization of Nurse Leaders, President of the USC College of Nursing Alumni Association and is active in other community organizations.  She has a background in administration, behavioral health nursing, including geriatric nursing, and has a passion for working with people.

The Lourie Center is pleased and honored to welcome such accomplished and enthusiastic members to its board of directors.

The Lourie Center provides opportunities for adults over 50 to remain physically fit, socially engaged, intellectually stimulated, and independent.  For more information, call 803-779-1971
or visit the web site at www.louriecentersc.com.