Whether they are the elderly patients in need of care, the nurses tasked with looking over them or family members stopping by to visit, The Timbers of Cass County Administrator Don Mass is focused on the people who serve as the heart and soul of the Dowagiac nursing facility.

Mass, a veteran of the long-term care industry with nearly 25 years of experience, recently took over leadership of the facility, located at 55432 Colby St. Mass has been with the Timbers for nearly three months, initially serving as interim administrator before officially taking over the position in May.

Although he initially intended to serve as head of the facility on a short-term basis, Mass quickly earned the trust of the facility’s 190 staff members, with many clamoring for him to stay on full-time, he said. In turn, he found himself enamored with the level of professionalism and dedication the staff has — not only for the residents, but for the greater Dowagiac area, he said.

“I have never worked in a facility that is this engaged with the community as this one,” Mass said. “It feels like everyone here cares about the community, and, in turn, it feels like the community cares about us.”

Mass, a native of Lapeer, a small city on Michigan’s east side, has worked in nursing facilities since he was 19 years old. He began working for Lake Orion Nursing Center, a highly rated long-term care facility, as a certified nursing assistant while attending community college, and quickly fell in love with the job, as he felt like he was making a difference in the lives of the elderly patients residing there.

After working for six years as a CNA, Mass served for several years as an inventory clerk before becoming admission director at the facility. His talent and dedication was noticed by some of the senior staff members, who encouraged him to continue studying in college so that he could one day take on leadership in the field.

“They helped teach me how the business operates,” he said. “Their recognition helped give me the confidence and inspiration to do what I do today.”

Mass received a degree in nursing home administration from Michigan State University in 2007. Later that year, he took a job as administrator with the Saginaw Geriatrics Home.

He later served as administrator of Hope Healthcare Center, in Westland, Michigan, and Aberdeen Rehabilitation, in Trenton, Michigan, before returning to Saginaw in 2015. He worked there until February of this year.

Mass’ years and experiences in the nursing care industry have shaped his leadership philosophy, which he describes simply as “people helping people.”

“I try to be very person-centric,” he said. “I care about our employees. I think that unfortunately gets lost in a lot of businesses. They lose focus on the people in their obsession with the bottom line.”

Mass said his outlook aligns nicely with that of Atrium Centers, The Timbers’ parent company. Employees of the business are encouraged to carry a card that contains the courtesies they should provide residents and visitors, sporting the company’s motto of “ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen,” Mass said.

Since taking over leadership of the Timbers, Mass has focused on boosting employee morale through awards such as Employee of the Month, he said. He is also looking to create a council comprised of staff members who will be in charge of coming up with regular events and activities for their coworkers.

Mass is also committed to setting the bar even higher for the facility, to which the U.S. Medicare Program has given a five-star rating. He would like to see the facility receive future bronze, silver or gold awards from the American Health Care Association, and to see the Timbers become one of Atrium’s premier nursing care facilities.

“I want us to become one of the best nursing homes in the country,” Mass said. “With the team we have right now, I think we have the potential to accomplish that.”

The Timbers will host an open house from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday, July 24, to celebrate the facility’s seventh anniversary as well as to introduce Mass to the rest of the community. The event will be open to the public.