Gordon Walker, Retiring CEO of JABA
Today, Gordon Walker retires from his thirty-year role as the Chief Executive Officer of the Jefferson Area Board for Aging (JABA) in Charlottesville Virginia.
Gordon’s list of accomplishments is astonishing, and is best enjoyed in the Thomas Jefferson-style proclamation issued by JABA’s Board of Directors. Feast your eyes below.
Gordon, thank you for all of this — for leading Charlottesville Virginia to become a role model for aging in community.
Proclamation
Whereas, Gordon Walker has dedicated 30 years to serving the people of the City of Charlottesville, and the Counties of Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa and Nelson by building and expanding the capacity of the Jefferson Area Board for Aging (JABA) and developing JABA into an Area Agency on Aging without peer; and
Whereas, he has worked tirelessly as JABA’s Chief Executive Officer to develop effective and efficient programs that allow aging in place, and to foster partnerships to create Care Advantage Plus for home care services, the thrift shop Twice is Nice to support Mountainside Senior Living, and the Blue Ridge Program for All-Inclusive Care (PACE) Center to provide state-of-the-art care for the elderly, to name a few; and
Whereas, he has fostered innovative initiatives to expand services to include adult daycare services, health insurance counseling, case management and health services, home care, home delivered meals, an extensive information and assistance network, ombudsmen, and volunteer recruitment and coordination; and
Whereas, he was instrumental in the saving and subsequent turnaround of the award-winning Mountainside Senior Living, JABA’s affordable assisted living facility in Crozet; and
Whereas, he had the vision to develop accessible and affordable senior housing within established neighborhoods, including Park View, Woods Edge, Ryan School Apartments and Timberlake Place; and
Whereas, he recognized early on the importance of, and worked to create, intergenerational programming, including four intergenerational community centers and two preschools; and
Whereas, he has played a pivotal role in taking the Jefferson School City Center from dream to reality and planted JABA’s flag there with its café and adult activity center; and
Whereas, he has continuously worked to build healthy collaborations between JABA and local government, foundations, educational institutions, private citizens, businesses and other nonprofit organizations; and
Whereas, his creative leadership has made JABA a national model, and then to aid others in replicating JABA’s success, he co-authored the 2020 Plan – Aging in Community, and the Viable Futures Toolkit; and
Whereas, he has been a tireless advocate for the dignity of aging and for all seniors, their families and caregivers; and
Whereas, he has been recognized by numerous local, state and national organizations for his excellent work and achievements on behalf of the elderly and people of all generations;
Now, therefore, the Board of Directors of the Jefferson Area Board for Aging takes great pride and pleasure in recognizing and expressing profound gratitude to Gordon Walker for his vision, leadership and exemplary record of service on the occasion of his retirement effective January 31, 2013, and extends to him sincere best wishes for continued success and happiness.
Passed and adopted this twenty-eighth of January in the year 2013.
M.E. (Dick) Gibson, Jr., Esq.
Chair, JABA Board of Directors
For more articles like this, see Hearts at Work.
Elizabeth Swider, Certified Senior Advisor and Certified Aging in Place Specialist
President, Care is There Geriatric Care Management
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