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Meet Our People
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A Message from the President
Dear Friends and Supporters,
Welcome to Lutheran Senior Services. Within the pages of this website, I hope you will not only discover who we are, but whose we are. We are a faith-inspired, mission-driven organization that exists for those we serve. Our Christian mission is Older Adults Living Life to the Fullest. It comes from John 10:10 where Jesus tells us that He has come so that we may live life in all of its abundance.
For us that means creating opportunities for older adults to achieve their utmost potential—physically, emotionally, intellectually, socially, and spiritually. We are honored to celebrate a 150-year legacy of honoring and cherishing those we serve. This is lived out through a scope of services that range from senior living communities that offer a full continuum of care to affordable housing to in-home services to hospice. No matter where you live or what stage of life you are facing, we are committed to providing a blend of excellence and compassion that will fully meet your needs.
It is also our privilege to celebrate a financially sound structure that ensures stability and quality for years to come. As such, we are able to support a highly qualified staff of employees with a heart for living the mission. I am honored to walk beside such dedicated people who strive to make a difference in the lives of those they serve.
Thank you for visiting these pages. I sincerely hope you will visit us in person as well. You are always welcome.
With sincere regards,
John R. Kotovsky
President / CEO
Executive Officers
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John Kotovsky serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Lutheran Senior Services, a role he assumed in September 2007. With a blend of business acumen and pastoral ministry, he is uniquely qualified to build on the organization’s 150-year legacy of mission and lead it into the future with stability and strength.
Before joining Lutheran Senior Services, John was President and Chief Operating Officer for the real estate development and management company Koch Development Co, Inc. Previous to that he served as Chief Financial Officer of The Sansone Group, Inc. and Senior Accountant for Arthur Andersen & Co. Also a Lutheran pastor, John served as Pastor of Administration and Christian Education for Community Church of Joy in Phoenix and Chief Financial Officer of the Joy Company. A graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, John also holds a Master of Divinity degree from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. Over the years, he has also shared his heart for servant leadership through various professional and ministry boards.
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Linda Detring joined LSS as its Vice President of Operations in August 1999. Among the management and administrative positions she has held in St. Louis-area hospitals, Linda served as the Vice President for Nursing for the Deaconess Health System and as the Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Compton Heights Hospital of the Tenet Health System. During her hospital career, Linda worked with a wide range of hospital services and was responsible for revenues in excess of $200 million. She holds a Master of Science in Nursing from St. Louis University and a Diploma in Nursing from the Lutheran Medical Center School of Nursing, where she also served as an instructor. In 1995, Linda was certified as a Zenger-Miller Facilitator, and is now a licensed Nursing Home Administrator in the State of Missouri. A retired captain in the United States Naval Reserves, Linda was deployed to Bahrain during Desert Storm as part of her 20 years of service.
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Paul Ogier is the co-founder of Provident Group, which became LSS’ subsidiary in June 2001. He served LSS as Vice President of Development and Other Services until he was named Chief Financial Officer in 2006. His professional career began in 1981 as a consultant with Laventhol & Horwath, a national accounting firm. Paul has a B.S. Degree in Finance from Missouri State University and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). He has a vast knowledge of development, operations, and financing, with a special emphasis on project financing. Paul has been a leader in the senior housing industry for over 20 years.
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Mark Schoedel was appointed Vice President of Construction and Technology in June of 2006. Prior to that, he served as Administrator of Construction and Technology for all LSS entities, after serving as Facilities Manager for Lutheran Health Care Association, an LSS predecessor. He is a former Director of Operations for Grace Church - St. Louis in Maryland Heights, Missouri, and worked as an engineer at Monsanto Company from 1976 to 985. Mark received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Missouri - Rolla. He is a registered professional engineer in the State of Missouri and a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Mark also served on the Advisory Council for the Salvation Army’s Adult Rehabilitation Center for 20 years.
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Dale joined LSS in February 2008 as Vice President for Human Resources. Prior to joining LSS he was the President of Human Capital Partners, a human resources consulting firm, and prior to consulting he was the Chief Human Resources officer for St. Anthony’s Medical Center. Dale has over 30 years of professional experience as a consultant and healthcare human resources practitioner. He holds a masters degree from Washington University, St. Louis, where he is currently an adjunct faculty member, and is accredited as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).
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Mike Wallace joined the senior living field in 1996 and is Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Lutheran Senior Services. Mike has extensive experience in planning, marketing, sales, sales training, and customer service. A graduate of North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina, he holds a BA in Business Management. Mike and his wife Leslie have two boys, ages 14 and 12.
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Board of Directors
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A. Earl Wendt
Project Manager,
AT&T
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Rev. Vernon D.
Gundermann
Retired Pastor,
Concordia Lutheran |

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Dr. Robert M. Nauss
Vice Chairperson
Professor,
Univ. of Missouri
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Jan S. Kraemer
Retired Human Resources
Consultant |

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Nancy K. Merila
Parish Nurse,
Our Redeemer Lutheran
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Carla S. Robinson-Rainey
Nurse Practitioner,
Barnes Jewish Hospital |

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Franklin P. Mosley, Jr.
Assistant Secretary,
Retired, Cartographer
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William F. Roth
Retired, Senior VP
Nooter/Eriksen Inc. |

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Lee H. Bodendieck
Retired, President,
Mechanical Supply Co.
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Rev. William T. Simmons
Administrative Pastor,
Christ Memorial Lutheran
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Dr. Micheal Chehval
Physician,
St. John's Mercy
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Roger H. Volk
Retired, Monsanto Co. |
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James. R. Dankenbring
Partner,
Spencer, Fane,
Britt & Browne, LLP
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Dr. H. Douglas Walden
Physician,
St. Louis University
Hospital |
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Karl A. Dunajcik
Principal,
The Montea Group
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Senior Team Members
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