Founding Partners

Sandy Douglass, NHA, CASP, MGA – Founding Partner

SANDY DOUGLASS

Sandy is the CEO/Administrator at The Methodist Home of DC. She has been at The Methodist Home for 19 years and in the senior living and long-term care profession for more than 26 years. Sandy brings a variety of rich and diverse experience including design, development, construction, renovation and operations of senior living and long-term care facilities. Sandy solicited both private and public financing and oversaw the addition of a $15 million health care facility completed at The Methodist Home in 2000. In early 2008 she directed the purchase of a 30,000 square foot Assisted Living building for conversion to a secured dementia facility, an $18 million project opening in March 2011. Sandy is well respected as President of the District of Columbia Health Care Association (DCHCA), is Chair of the Assisted Living Committee and serves on the Board of LifeSpan/MANPHA, a senior service association representing both Maryland and DC member facilities. Sandy is the DC “State” leader for the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) and serves on their Quality Committee.  Sandy was recently elected as Vice-Chair of SAGE Metro DC, a local affiliate of SAGE, the national organization dedicated to services and advocacy for LGBT elders.

Susan Hester, MPA – Founding Partner, Investor Relations

Susan is the Managing Partner of Hester’s Creative Schools, Inc. and HHH Investment Properties, LLC. Susan grew up in a family business comprised of 10 private preschools serving over 1,000 families and employing 125 professional and support staff, and has extensive experience managing a multi-site, for-profit entity. Her expertise includes real estate and property management, client service, transportation and food service. Susan also has in-depth experience in compliance with state and federal regulations. Before returning to the family business in 2002, Susan worked as a fundraiser for national non-profits for over 30 years. She is the founder and former Executive Director of the Mautner Project, the National Lesbian Health Organization, co-founder of the National Breast Cancer Coalition, and former Executive Director of the Wendt Center for Loss and Healing.

Our Team

Barbara Brewer – Open Circle Communities
Sales and Marketing

Barbara is a former Milton Delaware Town Council member, former Chairperson of the Milton Tourism Committee and active in the LGBT community. Her early career included 25 years in Washington, DC, as a highly successful sales and marketing executive in the global telecommunications industry and consultant to Fortune 100 companies. Barbara now works in land development, residential sales and marketing, and construction management. Her expertise in sales and marketing and the construction trade, make her a valuable asset.

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Sandy River II – Development Consultants

Sandy River II is serving Open Circle as the full service project management consulting firm managing the land acquisition, design, permitting, development, and construction. They specialize in senior housing projects, active adult communities, assisted and independent living facilities, and long term care facilities. Sandy River II grew out of Sandy River Health System which is considered one of Maine’s most innovative companies with its resident and employee centered approach and collaborative management style. The principals of SR2 are seasoned veterans of the senior housing and health care industry.

Daniel Maguire joined Sandy River in 1985 and as VP of Development directed the development and construction of a $70 million portfolio of 11 long term care and assisted living facilities throughout Maine. He brings a tenacious drive to the development process.

Michael Tyler spent the last 20 years leading the growth and operations of Sandy River’s health care portfolio from its initial two facilities to eleven facilities and managing over 1600 employees. Michael has been instrumental in structuring numerous financing and other transactions for SRHS, including leading the sale of Sandy River Health System health care businesses to Genesis Health Care Corporation in January 2007.

Shulman, Rogers, Gandal, Pordy & Ecker, P.A. – Securities/Corporate Counsel

Open Circle Ventures, LLC, is represented by Debbie Klis, Esq. in connection with various corporate and securities issues including the offering of any equity interests and general corporate and securities matters.

Hester & Company – Real Estate Advisor

J. Thomas Hester, MAI, is president of Hester & Company. Tom is a real estate developer, spent 25 years at the helm of his commercial appraisal business and served as President of the Appraisal Institute–NC. Tom also serves as the Chief Financial Officer of the 62-year-old family business, Hester’s Creative Schools, and HHH Investment Properties. Tom is serving as a consultant and investor with Open Circle Communities.

Perspective Design Group – Creative and Web Site Design

Perspective Design Group serves as the creative and design team for Open Circle Communities and designed this web site. Perspective Design Group specializes in developing web sites for small businesses, associations, non-profit organizations and individuals. They have provided pro bono design for several LGBT and LGBT-allied organizations

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