Morning Pointe Senior Living co-founders Greg A. Vital and Franklin Farrow announce that Heather Tussing has been promoted to chief operating officer, capping off a year of company growth under her leadership.
Founded in 1996 by entrepreneurs Mr. Vital and Mr. Farrow, the Chattanooga-based senior healthcare services organization owns and manages 35 Morning Pointe assisted living, personal care and Alzheimer’s memory care communities across five southeastern states.
Morning Pointe Senior Living will celebrate 25
years of business in 2022.
Following a year in which two Chattanooga-area Morning Pointe buildings were devastated by an EF3 tornado and rebuilt in just under 14 months, Ms. Tussing was at the center of the continuity of care.
“Heather’s business knowledge, capacity for leadership and compassion for seniors are unparalleled,” said Morning Pointe President Mr. Vital. “Her keen business ingenuity has helped lead our company recovery during the pandemic and tornado, and will only continue to assist us as we focus on excellent care and quality of life for our seniors and their families.”
“It is truly an honor to be a part of this organization as we respond to the ever-changing needs of a
growing senior population,” said Ms. Tussing. “In this new role, I look forward to serving alongside our amazing campus leaders even closer as we focus on excellent care and exceptional service. I’m passionate about improving the daily lives of residents and associates and grateful to have the
opportunity to make a positive impact.”
Prior to being named chief operating officer, Ms. Tussing was executive vice president of operations for Morning Pointe. She had been at the helm of various sales, operations and compliance positions in the senior living industry for the past 20 years. Ms. Tussing holds a bachelor of arts degree in communications from the University of Kentucky and is a certified dementia practitioner, as well as a licensed assisted living facility administrator and preceptor. Ms. Tussing and her family reside in Chattanooga.
“Heather has approached every goal that was given to her with a passion, exceeding expectations and bringing our vision for the future of Morning Pointe into focus,” said Morning Pointe Co-Founder and CEO Mr. Farrow. “There are no limits to what Heather can accomplish, and given her ability to foster and lead a team of individuals, I am confident that the future of Morning Pointe operations will be extremely bright.”
Morning Pointe will open two new senior living communities in the next six months, continuing its
growth into the Knoxville area. Morning Pointe of Hardin Valley, a 77-unit assisted living and Alzheimer’s memory care campus in northwest Knoxville, is scheduled to open in
January 2022. In addition, The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence, Powell - adjacent to Morning Pointe of Powell assisted living on the Tennova Healthcare campus - will open in late spring 2022 as a dedicated Alzheimer’s community, with 44 suites designed specifically to meet the needs of residents with memory disorders. Morning Pointe also operates senior campuses in the East Tennessee communities of Athens, Lenoir City, Clinton and Greeneville.