In early 2026, Amy Young of Wagman Construction, who is currently working with Collington on the development of its “2030 Initiative”, reached out to the current SSAFE Board Chair, Joel Brody, and Executive Director, Michelle Goodwin, about SSAFE participating in a panel discussion at the LeadingAge PA Annual Conference in Hershey, PA on May 12, 2026. The conversation quickly expanded when Amy submitted a second proposal for SSAFE to be represented at the LeadingAge Maryland Conference held on May 19, 2026, in Owings Mills, Maryland.
As plans developed, it became clear that former SSAFE Board Member George Alexander would be an ideal representative. A resident of Kendal Crosslands Communities and a leader of SSAFE’s Longwood Chapter, George has been a driving force behind sustainability initiatives within senior living and serves as facilitator of SSAFE’s Greening Our Campuses program. His experience as both a resident leader and sustainability advocate offered conference attendees a valuable perspective that is often missing from industry discussions.
George Alexander from SSAFE presents alongside James Weber from Wagman Construction and Ken Shultes from The Stone House Group.
– Amy Young, Vice President of Business Development
Ken Shultes from The Stone House Group, James Weber from Wagman Construction and George Alexander from SSAFE.
Wagman Construction is a Mid-Atlantic construction and development firm with extensive experience in senior living communities. The company provides planning, development, preconstruction, and construction services for independent living, assisted living, memory care, and life plan communities. Wagman has been actively engaged in conversations about the future of senior living, including community design, sustainability, wellness, and resident experience. Read more about Wagman’s work with Collington: https://www.wagman.com/project/construction/collington-a-kendal-affiliate-2030-project/
The Stone House Group (SHG) is a certified B Corporation that provides energy, facilities, project management, and sustainability consulting services to organizations and institutions. With a focus on what SHG calls “Building Stewardship,” the firm helps clients optimize performance, reduce resource consumption, and align facilities and operations with long-term organizational goals. Through this work, SHG promotes practical solutions that strengthen both environmental and financial sustainability. Learn more at: https://www.theshg.com/
LeadingAge is a national association representing more than 5,300 nonprofit aging services providers and other mission-driven organizations dedicated to improving the lives of older adults. Through advocacy, education, networking, and professional development, LeadingAge helps shape the future of senior living and aging services across the United States. Learn more at: https://leadingage.org/about-us/
The article below originally appeared in the July 2026 SSAFE Newsletter.
At the 2026 annual LeadingAge conferences in Pennsylvania (Hershey, May 12th) and Maryland (Owings Mills, May 19th), George Alexander from Kendal at Longwood represented SSAFE at a session entitled “The Sustainability Edge: A Driver for Distinction.” He was part of a three-person panel that included Wagman Construction and The Stone House Group.
Wagman Construction is currently working with Collington, a SSAFE Chapter Community, to build their new independent living expansion and assisted living/memory care. They focused on how attention to things like energy and maintenance will not only make buildings greener but can also reduce operating costs.
The Stone House Group is a consultancy that ensures sustainable design and operations. They differentiated among the various certifications available for new construction or renovations, including LEEDS, Living Building Challenge, Green Globes, and others. And they emphasized that sustainability can create distinction and promote healthier communities.
SSAFE gained visibility as a network of senior living communities organized around several key sustainability values, all of which are aimed at a net zero outcome for the various chapters. There was particular interest in the Cross-Campus Sustainability Tracker that George presented. This table listed the SSAFE chapters and identified which sustainability activities and projects were completed or in progress for each. Also popular was the Pathway to Net Zero. But overriding these resources was the message that it’s senior living residents who drive the change, who want a better world for the next generation, and who put their expertise and action behind the challenge. They are a powerful resource.
LeadingAge conferences are attended primarily by administrators of senior living facilities and vendors to the retirement industry. Attendees can earn continuing education credits by participating in the various sessions. In this case, participants gained an under-standing of how to leverage sustainability as a marketing edge, attracting environmentally conscious residents and securing a more resilient and profitable future for their organizations.
