Peconic Landing's Robert Syron wins statewide long term care award

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ALBANY, NY (06/05/2009)(readMedia)-- The James W. Sanderson Memorial Award for Leadership is presented to a New York state resident devoted to the field of long term care. The award honors the late Jim Sanderson, NYAHSA's longtime counsel and friend.

Robert J. Syron, CEO and executive director of Peconic Landing, Greenport, is this year's recipient.

Syron began his career as a CNA while in college. Today, he's at the helm of a thriving CCRC that boasts a perfect survey, five stars from CMS and the highest resident satisfaction survey to date.

That wasn't the case when Syron took the job in 2003. Peconic Landing was struggling as a new community. The health care facilities were suffering start-up growing pains. Marketing efforts met endless challenges, and Peconic was encumbered with a large outstanding construction loan and bond indebtedness. The executive director had been terminated, and arriving residents were wary about the prospect of life at Peconic. Even the staff and the North Fork community were questioning Peconic Landing's viability both as an employer and a neighbor.

Enter Bob Syron. He immediately established a culture of quality, teamwork and transparency by recruiting and motivating a strong management team. When it was necessary, he compassionately and thoughtfully replaced weak managers. While devoting long hours and hard work to Peconic Landing, Syron also established himself as a vital part of life in the North Fork, volunteering his time to the community. Today, Peconic Landing is a far cry from the struggling facility Syron came to in 2003. Now, it achieves the highest standard of excellence for life care retirement communities, thanks in great part to Syron's professionalism, dedication and commitment to his residents.

Syron's leadership isn't just about today; he will lead Peconic Landing through the economic challenges the community and residents will face with a strategic plan that will position Peconic as a pre-eminent retirement community far into the future. The plan includes the construction of additional residential apartments, establishment of a state-of-the-art memory care facility, additional health care beds and expanded cultural, recreational and therapy programs.

It all fits with Syron's philosophy of quality, and that has earned him the honor of the Sanderson Award.

Founded in 1961, the New York Association of Homes & Services for the Aging (NYAHSA) represents nearly 600 not-for-profit and public continuing care providers, including nursing homes, senior housing, adult care facilities, continuing care retirement communities, assisted living and community service providers.

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