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New administrator at Valley View Nursing Home settling in nicely |
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By Daniel McGonigle
Argus Managing Editor
Since December 26, The Valley View Nursing Home has been under the guidance of new Administrator/CEO Chris Schulz.
Schulz moved to the quaint little town from Nebraska on behalf of his wife who wanted to return to her native state and be closer to her family.
“My wife is from Alexandria,” said Schulz. “She was born and raised there and we wanted to be closer to her family so I told her the first opportunity that I had to take a job in the area that I would.”
Schulz’s wife is a teacher and stayed behind in Nebraska to fulfill her teaching contract, but will be joining her husband in Houston once the school year is complete.
“We fell in love with the nursing home and with the area,” said Schulz of his decision to take the position. “I got lucky to be offered the job and here I am.”
All is well
“It’s been fantastic,” said Schulz. “The nursing home has a very good reputation in the community and the staff has been wonderful to work with.”
Schulz said that making the transition to his new position has been made much smoother thanks to the experience of the staff.
“There are a bunch of people who have been here a long time,” said Schulz. “There is a lot of experience and some really great workers make up this staff. It has helped make the transition a smooth one.”
In the few months that he’s been in charge, Schulz said he really sees nothing but blue skies above in terms of the people he works with and the functionality of the home itself.
“I really couldn’t have asked to be in a better place,” he smiled.
Schulz and his wife are newlyweds, just a year-and-a-half into their lives together, and the Moorehead State graduate can’t wait to begin building his life in the Houston area.
“I love it here,” he said. “I spent some time living in the Black Hills and it reminds me a lot of that area.”
Interests and hobbies
Schulz said he is into hunting and the outdoors, and he realizes the vast resources this area has to offer him in this regard.
Also a “huge” Big 10 fan, Schulz is excited to live so near Big 10 action.
“I am a huge fan of the University of Illinois,” he said. “It’s nice to be able to drive to Madison (Wisc.) or the cities to catch a game,” he said. “I love Chicago and it’s not so far from there either.”
But it won’t be all fun and games for Schulz and he realizes that.
The nursing home industry is evolving, changing, funding sources are in jeopardy of drying up or at least of decreasing. Schulz said he has given much thought to the transitions he will be facing in the years to come.
“Obviously the health care industry is changing,” said Schulz. “We are being proactive to deal with those changes. The industry is going to a ‘campus approach’ attempting to include long-term care, assisted living, and home-health care all in one campus environment.”
Schulz said that “it’s exciting” to consider the possible changes and how Valley View will fit into them in the future.
Minnesota hospitality much appreciated
As Schulz and his young bride attempt to make the adjustment to rural Minnesota, the new administrator reports that his staff have been nothing but helpful in terms of finding him a place and making him feel right at home while the transition takes place.
“The staff has been wonderful at helping me adjust,” said Schulz. “Like I said there is a lot of experience in this building and it goes a long, long way.”
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