Listen Now!

Business Talk 24-7

Check below to find this program's broadcast schedule





Rebecca Palmer and Jeannine Blackman of Northlake Gardens, and Dawn Coons of The Benton House

Palmer, RebeccaA southerner at heart, Rebecca Palmer grew up in New England.  Living in Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire, she attended Keene State College and earned a degree in Communications and Business.  Upon graduation, she felt warmer weather calling her, and moved to Atlanta in 2000.  She initially took a position with Piedmont Hospital.  After a couple other endeavors, Rebecca decided that her heart was in working with the elderly, and she took the position of Marketing Director for Northlake Gardens, an assisted living and memory care community with about 60 apartments.

Blackman, Jeannine compressed

Jeannine Blackman first worked in healthcare as a high school student.  As a member of the Medical Careers Club, she was able to get a paid position at the In-Patient Pharmacy of a local hospital in Detroit, where she was born and raised.  At the age of 19, Jeannine took a position as a restaurant general manager, and spent the next 26 years in the restaurant and hospitality business.  After moving to Atlanta in 1999, Jeannine was working in the hospitality industry when her company was bought out.  She decided to go back to school at that point, becoming licensed as a licensed practical nurse (LPN).  Today Jeannine is the Resident Services Director at Northlake Gardens, where she is responsible for all aspects of resident care.    Join Rebecca and Jeannine on Sunday May 1st for a celebration to kick of Northlake Gardens’ Open House Week.  Tour the community, enjoy live entertainment, refreshments, prices and gifts!  Northlake Gardens is located at 1300 Montreal Road in Tucker.  Call them at (770) 934-0034, or visit them on the web at www.northlakegardens.com.

Coons, Dawn compressed

A third yankee in the studio today, Dawn Coons was born and raised in Buffalo, New York.  Her love for seniors resulted from being raised by her grandparents.  In Dawn’s words, her grandmother was her best friend.  Having moved to Atlanta in the mid 1980s, Daw moved her grandmother to Atlanta to live with her in 1986.  At the time, Dawn had been pursuing a nursing degree.  In order to better care for her grandmother, she decided to work in real estate due to the flexibility in that career.  When the real estate market turned, Dawn began working with seniors again for a senior residential placement service.  During her tenure with this company, she got to know the Benton House.  When they decided to build the new community in Johns Creek, Dawn knew that she wanted to be a part of that organization.  Today, Dawn is the Community Relations Director at the Benton House Johns Creek, a new assisted living and memory care community located at 5050 Kimball Bridge Road in Johns Creek.  Join them for their upcoming Grand Opening on Saturday, April 30 from 11 am to 1 pm.  The theme will be “Opening Day at the Ball Park”, with special guest Darrel Chaney, a former Braves baseball player and announcer.  Call them at 770-754-5446, or visit them on the web at www.bentonhouse.com.

Special thanks to Griswold Special Care, A Tradition in Home Care Excellence since 1982, for hosting today’s show!

Claudia Shook of Freedom Hospice

Shook, Claudia

After growing up Oklahoma, Claudia Shook moved to Missouri then Michigan to work on an undergraduate degree in psychology and a master’s degree in social work. Following school, she moved to the Detroit area and worked in pediatric hospice for 8 years before fleeing the cold for Dallas. Claudia has served the senior community as a social worker in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, acute care hospitals, and now at Freedom HospiceFreedom Hospice is a community-based organization that affirms the belief that it is important to make every life as meaningful as possible, to validate quality rather than quantity of life, and to provide care to the patient and family which reflects a living expression of love, warmth and compassion.  Claudia can be reached by phone at 972-310-4018 or email her at cshook@freedom-hospice.com.  Visit their website at www.freedom-hospice.com.

Special thanks to Griswold Special Care, A Tradition in Home Care Excellence since 1982, for hosting today’s show!

Aqua Umoren and Olivia Haynes of Haven Home Health and Sandra Durbin with Brighton Gardens of Dunwoody

Haven Home Health compressedTiming is everything!  Particularly for Aqua Umoren.  Originally from Seattle Washington, Aqua moved to New Orleans to attend Xavier University.  After receiving his Bachelors Degree in Management, he went on to attend the University of New Orleans for his Masters.  Early in 2004, Aqua made a decision to move to the Dallas area to pursue his career – several months before Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans.  Today, Aqua is Area Director for Haven Home Health.  He loves the philosophy of the company that focuses on both the welfare of their staff, and the direct interaction and service to their patients.

Olivia Haynes seems to have missed her true calling, as she is an absolute NATURAL on the air!  A Dallas native, Olivia strayed from Texas long enough to earn a degree at the University of Oklahoma.  She has spent her career in human resources, getting her feet wet in the healthcare industry at a long term care facility.  A year and a half, she found her home at Haven Home Health, where she works as a Senior Healthcare Recruiter.  She tells us that she particularly looks for staff that are critical thinkers and exceptional communicators.  She prides Haven Home Health on the quality of their staff, and, as such, is extremely careful about the prospective employees that she invites to join the team.  To get more information about Haven Home Health, call them at (972) 644-3000, or visit them on the web at www.3hllc.com.

After gruaduating from college, Durbin, SandraSandra Durbin moved from Ohio to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to work with juvenile delinquents in Ft. Lauderdale.  After moving to Atlanta, she decided to change careers.  Little did she know she would simply be working with OLDER juvenile delinquents.  Today, Sandra is a Senior Director of Community Relations for Brighton Gardens of Dunwoody.  Brighton Gardens is part of the Sunrise family, and thus the oldest assisted living company in the US.  Having worked for Sunrise for a number of years now, Sandra loves the sense of community at Sunrise.  One of the unique projects being undertaken by Brighton Gardens is their Ageless Design Symposium.  Coming up from May 13 to May 15, Brighton Gardens of Dunwoody will be taking four of their apartments and showcasing Aging in Place improvements to help seniors stay in their homes as their conditions progress – whether physical or cognitive.  In addition, join Brighton Gardens on May 19 for a Taste of Sunrise.  Brighton Gardens is also hosting both a Mothers Day Brunch or a Father’s Day Barbecue that will benefit the Diabetes Association.  To find out more, contact Sandra at 678-896-5650, visit them on the web at www.bgdunwoody.com, or stop by their Ashford Center location in Dunwoody for a tour!

Special thanks to Griswold Special Care, A Tradition in Home Care Excellence since 1982, for hosting today’s show!

Beverly Joseph and Maggie Myers of Meadowstone Place

Meadowstone PlaceBeverly Joseph grew up in Duncanville, TX and after 20 years in the Cedar Creek Lake area she decided it was time to move back Dallas. She wanted to make a difference in peoples’ lives, and upon the recommendation from a friend she went to work for Spectrum Properties as a sales and leasing consultant. After a stint as a sales representative in the rehabilitation industry, she jumped at the chance to return to Spectrum as the Community Director at Meadowstone Place, a senior retirement community nestled in the prestigious Preston Hollow residential neighborhood among 50-year-old live oak trees that can be viewed from any porch.  Meadowstone Place offers a large array of services for independent seniors to choose from such as meals, housekeeping, and an on-site beauty salon.

Maggie Myers is a native of Lansing, MI and came to Dallas when her husband took a new job in the area. She has been the Activities Director at Meadowstone Place for 2 years and loves enriching the lives of the seniors in the community.  Meadowstone Place is located at 10410 Stone Canyon Road in Dallas.  Stop by for a tour, visit them on the web at http://www.spectrumprop.com/meadowstone.htm, or call them at 214-987-0943 for more information.

Special thanks to Griswold Special Care, A Tradition in Home Care Excellence since 1982, for hosting today’s show!