MEN WI N HEALTH HealthLinksSC.com | 43 What advice do you wish you could give your younger self? I would tell my younger self to listen and learn more than you talk. You can learn so much about someone, and often about yourself, by simply hearing their story and asking good questions. If you wish to be a good resource for someone, there’s great value in understanding what motivates them. Let them tell you. As a child, did you think you’d be where you are today professionally? Absolutely not. When I was a kid, I seriously wanted to be a cowgirl like Annie Oakley. In a way, though, I’ve learned that working in the retirement industry requires many of the same skills, like accuracy, flexibility, diplomacy, being able to see the forest for the trees and how to think in your stirrups. What great mentorship have you received? What made it great? I’ve learned much from friends and business colleagues along the way, but my father has always been my moral compass, both in life and business. He taught me that a handshake actually means something. Honesty is imperative. Patience is a virtue. Be kind. He always reminded me to “stop and smell the roses.” I have relied on this wisdom throughout my life. What inspires you? Professionally, I feel inspired when I can help families find retirement solutions that fit their needs. This is Franke’s mission as a nonprofit entity. Navigating this journey can be challenging with so many senior independent living options available now, and I often take on a role as counselor to help people determine what makes the most sense, even if Franke isn’t always the answer. It’s quite rewarding. How do you navigate challenges? To navigate the inevitable work challenges that can arise, first and foremost, I tap into the lessons my father – and Annie Oakley – taught me about life, but, most importantly, I stay calm. Depending on the nature of the challenge, I truly believe most people are quite reasonable as long as their expectations are well managed from the start. Describe a situation where you believe being a woman in health care was advantageous. I generally don’t gauge advantages in terms of gender, but I definitely identify with many adult children close to my age, many of them women, who tend to be leading that “next chapter” discussion with their parents. Having experienced this myself in recent years, it’s natural to find mutual depth and experience in that conversation, and they appreciate that. How would you describe your journey to becoming the health leader you are today? Working in my family’s farming business for 30 years before coming to Franke in 2005, I had zero experience in the retirement industry, but the growing vision of Lutheran Homes of South Carolina resonated with me, as did the guidance I received from colleagues like Franke’s former Active Lifestyle Administrator Mark H. Lee. It’s exciting to be part of that legacy. DeAnne Reed Vane FRANKE AT SEASIDE Director of Marketing for independent Living 843-216-2222 frankeatseaside.org
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