The Brook Overview Brochure

Purpose. Performance. People.

A long-term vision.

At The Brook Retirement Communities, we are committed to delivering highquality, cost-effective care while building an organization designed to endure.

Serving rural Michigan requires more than compassion—it requires a disciplined business model, engaged leadership, and consistent financial performance.

We have structured our organization to meet these demands, ensuring we can continue serving residents, families, and communities for decades to come.

Our purpose is clear: to provide exceptional care in a sustainable way, and every member of The Brook organization is aligned with that mission.

We are The Brook.

History/Loyalty

A History of Commitment Founded in 2000 by Jerry DeWitt, James DeWitt, Diane Friedriechsen, and William Carey, The Brook was built on a multidisciplinary foundation, combining expertise in real estate development, construction, healthcare, and law.

The first community, The Brook of Roscommon, opened in July 2002. With 42 apartments across 43,000 square feet and a balanced mix of assisted and independent living, it quickly established a standard of excellence—maintaining occupancy levels between 93% and 100% for more than a decade.

Growth followed deliberately.

A second community opened in West Branch in 2004, and between 2006 and 2021, The Brook expanded across rural Michigan, developing communities in Houghton Lake, Gladwin, Cheboygan, Grayling,

Boyne City, Gaylord, Big Rapids, Newaygo, Cedar Springs, Portland, and Rogers City.

Even during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, The Brook continued to expand, opening new communities and reinforcing its operational strength, leadership discipline, and commitment to residents during a critical time for senior care.

In 2025, The Brook completed its first acquisition—Eden Fields of Standish—marking a strategic evolution beyond ground-up development. This milestone broadened the company’s growth model and strengthened its ability to expand access to high-quality assisted living and memory care throughout Michigan.

Today, The Brook is positioned as a leading provider of affordable senior living in rural Michigan, built on consistency, discipline, and long-term commitment.

A Solid Foundation

Sustained success is driven by strong leadership.

The Brook is guided by an experienced and actively engaged Board of Directors, each member contributing distinct expertise to ensure thoughtful decision-making, disciplined execution, and long-term alignment.

Leadership Rooted in Northern Michigan

William Carey

Diane Friedriechsen

Jim DeWitt

Mr. Carey is a founding member of The Brook and serves as Director of Finance and Legal Affairs. He is the senior partner at Carey Jaskowski PLC, where his practice focuses on environmental and water law, regulatory matters, and complex legal issues affecting property and development.

Ms. Friedriechsen is a founding member of The Brook and served as Chief Executive Officer from 2001 to 2017, leading the organization through its formative growth and operational development.

She currently serves as Director of Operations, where she oversees care standards, staffing strategy, and day-to-day operational performance across the portfolio.

Mr. DeWitt is a founding member of The Brook and a licensed general contractor with more than three decades of construction and development experience. He played a central role in the design and construction of the organization’s early communities and served as Director of Building Facilities through 2025.

Principal, Board Member, Director of Finance and Legal Affairs

He brings extensive experience in governance, financial oversight, and regulatory compliance, supporting The Brook’s disciplined approach to growth and risk management.

Mr. Carey previously served as Chairman of the Board for Chemical Bank’s North Region and remains active in community and conservation organizations, including the Higgins Lake Land Conservancy and the Michigan Waterfront Alliance. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Western Michigan University and a Juris Doctor from Wayne State University Law School.

Principal, Board Member, and Director of Operations

She brings extensive healthcare leadership experience, including prior roles with McLaren Health Care Corporation, where she developed expertise in clinical operations and organizational management.

Ms. Friedriechsen holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from Central Michigan University and a Master of Public Administration with a healthcare emphasis from University of Michigan.

Her leadership ensures The Brook maintains consistent quality of care while scaling responsibly.

Principal and Director Emeritus

His background includes large-scale residential and commercial construction projects in both Michigan and Florida, including leadership of Martin Builders and Aztec Builders, LLC. His work has included high-end residential builds and complex commercial developments.

Although now retired from the Board, Mr. DeWitt continues to serve as a trusted advisor, providing guidance on capital projects, construction strategy, and long-term asset management.

Dane Carey

Brandon Vizina

Josh DeWitt

Mr. Carey serves as Deputy Director of Finance and Legal Affairs and a member of the Board of Directors for The Brook. In these roles, he provides leadership across legal strategy, financial planning, and corporate governance.

Mr. Vizina serves as Deputy Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors, providing leadership across financial strategy, operational alignment, and long-term planning.

He is responsible for capital planning, financial forecasting, and performance accountability, ensuring the organization maintains disciplined growth and operational resilience.

Mr. DeWitt serves as Director and Facilities Oversight Officer, where he is responsible for maintaining and enhancing the physical performance of The Brook communities. His role includes oversight of capital improvements, preventative maintenance planning, and long-term asset preservation.

Director, Deputy Director of Legal Affairs

As Legal Counsel, he oversees regulatory compliance, contract negotiation, risk management, and dispute resolution. In his finance role, he contributes to capital structuring, lender relations, and financial strategy, helping guide the organization’s expansion through both development and acquisition.

Mr. Carey is a partner at Carey Jaskowski PLC, where his practice focuses on civil litigation, real estate disputes, and water law. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Kalamazoo College, a Juris Doctor from Michigan State University College of Law, and a Master of Business Administration from Michigan State University’s Eli Broad College of Business.

Director, Deputy Director of Finance

Prior to joining The Brook, Mr. Vizina served as a Controller in the utilities industry, where he managed financial operations, regulatory reporting, capital budgeting, and audit coordination in a highly regulated environment.

He is a Certified Public Accountant and holds degrees in Accounting, Finance, and Economics from Lake Superior State University. His background strengthens The Brook’s financial governance and risk management framework.

Director, Director of Facilities Oversight

Mr. DeWitt is the owner of DeWitt Foam Solutions and DeWitt Enterprise and is a licensed residential builder with extensive experience in construction, structural systems, and facility improvements. He has been involved in Brook developments from the ground up, providing deep institutional knowledge of the organization’s properties.

Mr. DeWitt’s hands-on expertise supports costeffective maintenance strategies, extends asset life cycles, and ensures projects are executed efficiently with minimal disruption to operations.

Corporate Leadership

Sandy Altman-Elliott

Lisa Trudell

Kimberlee Pappas

Ms. Altman-Elliott serves as Chief Executive Officer of The Brook Retirement Communities, where she oversees strategic operations, organizational performance, and long-term growth initiatives across the company’s portfolio of senior living communities.

Ms. Trudell serves as Vice President of Accounting for The Brook Retirement Communities, where she oversees financial reporting, budgeting, internal controls, and regulatory compliance across the organization’s operations.

Ms. Pappas serves as Vice President of Marketing & Communications for The Brook Retirement Communities, where she leads statewide marketing strategy, branding, occupancy development, public relations, and community engagement initiatives across the organization’s Michigan communities.

Chief Executive Officer

With more than three decades of healthcare leadership experience, she has held executive and operational leadership roles in senior living, long-term care, and community-based services. Her background includes experience as a Chief Operating Officer, Regional Manager, and licensed facility administrator, where she developed expertise in operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, financial management, and dementia care programming.

Ms. Altman-Elliott holds a Bachelor of Social Work from Ferris State University and has previously held licensure as a Nursing Home Administrator and certification as a Dementia Practitioner. Her leadership reflects a strong commitment to operational excellence, residentcentered care, and sustainable organizational growth.

Vice President of Accounting

Since joining The Brook in 2016, she has played an important role in strengthening financial systems, supporting strategic planning initiatives, and maintaining disciplined fiscal oversight during a period of continued organizational growth. Her leadership supports transparency, accountability, and long-term financial stability throughout the organization.

Ms. Trudell brings a well-rounded business perspective grounded in accounting, management, and operational strategy. She holds a Bachelor of Professional Accountancy and a Master of Business Administration from Saginaw Valley State University. Her combination of technical expertise and organizational insight contributes to The Brook’s strong financial governance framework.

Vice President of Marketing & Communications

With more than 15 years of experience within The Brook organization, Ms. Pappas brings a unique combination of operational knowledge and relationship-driven marketing leadership.

Prior to her current role, she served in community management and regional operational support positions, providing firsthand experience in resident services and senior living operations.

Her leadership has contributed significantly to The Brook’s continued growth and expansion throughout Michigan. She works closely with operational leadership to align marketing strategy with resident experience, strengthen community partnerships, and support long-term occupancy stability and brand development.

Quality Care Guided by Disciplined Business Practices

The Brook’s growth is the result of a deliberate and disciplined strategy.

Site Selection Each location is carefully evaluated through demographic analysis, competitive assessment, and access to healthcare resources.

Pricing Strategy We intentionally maintain below-market pricing relative to comparable facilities. While this approach results in narrower margins, it creates long-term occupancy stability and a superior value proposition for residents.

Local Advantage As a Michigan-based organization, we understand the economic realities of rural communities.

Our local presence fosters trust, strengthens relationships, and supports long-term success.

Expansion Strategy The Brook continues to pursue both groundup development and strategic acquisitions in underserved rural markets. Favorable land and labor economics, combined with an aging population, create a compelling growth environment.

Financial Performance Since 2017, revenue has grown from approximately $17 million to $33 million in 2025, reflecting disciplined expansion and operational consistency.

Ten Year Financial Performance $35,000,000 $30,000,000 $25,000,000 $20,000,000 $15,000,000 $10,000,000 $5,000,000 $0 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Revenue

Expense

People/Impact

Building Healthier Communities The Brook’s impact extends beyond resident care.

Each community contributes more than $2 million annually to its local economy through employment, purchasing, and tax contributions. We prioritize local vendors and actively invest in the communities we serve.

Our team—from leadership to frontline staff—is unified by a commitment to compassionate care, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.

By combining high-quality care with responsible business practices, The Brook strengthens both resident outcomes and community vitality.

BrookRetirement.com 989-745-6500 PO Box 649, Grayling, Michigan 49738