About Us

Mission

Christ-Centered Service to Seniors, Each Other and the Community.

That single focus guides everything we do—from the direction of our entire organization to the day-to-day decisions made by our professional staff.

Christ-Centered Service to Seniors, Each Other, and the Community.

Vision

Here, we are called to serve others, to do what’s right. At our core, we are about respecting and providing dignity, safety and wellness for all. That is The Immanuel Way.

All People will Grow and Age with Dignity, Safety, and Wellness.

History

Since 1887, Immanuel’s mission has been to serve our neighbors, to fill gaps in community health and services, and to express Christ’s love in our lives and work. 

We began as a Lutheran ministry, led by Pastor E.A. Fogelstrom and five Deaconesses. They were dedicated to “works of mercy” and established programs that cared for the community’s most marginalized—the sick, orphaned and elderly. 

Pastor Fogelstrom’s dedication flourished into the establishment of Immanuel Hospital and eventually to our family of retirement communities and senior services which serve people of all faiths throughout the Midwest.  

We are guided by the Nebraska Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) as a leader in retirement living and senior services. We are also a proud member of Lutheran Services in America (LSA), one of the largest health and human services in the country. The LSA network includes more than 300 members and touches the lives of one in fifty people each year. Learn more at www.lutheranservices.org
 

Board and Leadership

Our leaders believe every person deserves respect, safety and wellness. They lead by example, living the mission set forth by our founder.

Eric Gurley

Eric Gurley

Chief Executive Officer

Eric Gurley

Chief Executive Officer

Eric is the President and CEO of Immanuel.  He is a skilled financial and operational professional with more than 20 years of senior housing and health care experience, excelling in the areas of strategic planning, implementation and reporting. 

Eric served on the EAA Board of directors from 2005 to 2013.  He joined the EAA Foundation Board in 2015 and currently serves as the Vice President.  Eric re-joined the EAA Board in 2020 and is a member of the finance committee.  

He resides in Omaha, Nebraska with his family and is a member of the Omaha Symphony Board and finance committee, Lutheran Giving Board and finance committee, and Nebraska Lutheran Outdoor Ministries finance committee.

Julie Kaminski

Julie Kaminski

Chief Operations Officer

Julie Kaminski

Chief Operations Officer

Julie is responsible for strategic operations for all of Immanuel’s service lines. With a master’s degree in Gerontology and a nursing home administrator license, Julie has extensive senior leadership experience, with a focus on operational excellence, mentoring, and critical thinking. She has a passion for seniors, aging services, and being a collaborative leader in the field. She serves on numerous aging committees, advisory boards and non-profit boards in Omaha and Des Moines.

Scott Bear

Scott Bear

Chief Financial Officer

Scott Bear

Chief Financial Officer

Bear is a dedicated leader with a strong background in healthcare finance. He has over 20 years of experience specializing in strategic, operational and financial planning and budgeting. Bear has a passion for developing great business relationships to create consistent supply chain processes for the effective acquisition of goods and services for the organization. 

Tammy Sealer

Tammy Sealer

Chief Administrative Officer

Tammy Sealer

Chief Administrative Officer

Sealer has over 25 years of experience in senior services including operations, development and project management. Sealer is a member of the Nebraska Healthcare Association and LeadingAge Nebraska and currently serves on the SAGE, Society for the Advancement of Gerontological Environments, Board of Directors.

Joe Brown

Joe Brown

Vice President of Marketing & Sales

Joe Brown

Vice President of Marketing & Sales

Brown is a Nebraska native with former executive leadership positions in banking, agriculture, nonprofit, and IT-managed services. He earned his degree at Hastings College in Web Communication Design and has won 7 international marketing awards. As Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Brown oversees all initiatives related to occupancy, branding, growth, and communications. 

April Butterfield

April Butterfield

Vice President of PACE Operations

April Butterfield

Vice President of PACE Operations

As Vice President of PACE Operations, April oversees the strategic operations of Immanuel's three PACE Centers.  April has over 20 years of experience in Revenue Cycle and Healthcare Administration, most recently leading Primary Care operations and value-based initiatives.  With a master's degree in organizational leadership, she brings a passion for servant leadership, health equity, and serving the underserved.

John Croghan

John Croghan

Vice President of Immanuel Community Operations

John Croghan

Vice President of Immanuel Community Operations

John Croghan has served in the Senior Living Industry for over 20 years. He is currently the Vice President of Operations for Immanuel. Croghan has served at three different Immanuel campuses and held the Regional Director of Operations - Lincoln position before his current role. Previously, he worked as a regional operations manager for a senior living organization, assisting in opening new retirement communities across the Midwest. He also gained experience in an affordable housing setting, managing Housing Urban Development apartments and Tax Credit apartment homes.

Croghan has been actively involved in various organizations and committees throughout his career. He served on the Government Relations Committee with the Nebraska Health Care Association and was a member of the statewide advisory board for the Alzheimer's Association. Additionally, he is a Past President of the Seniors Foundation in Lincoln and currently serves as the NALA Director at Large Non-Profit for the Nebraska Health Care Association. In 2019, he was recognized by the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living as a future leader in long-term and post-acute care. He also contributed to the Mayor's COVID-19 task force for Lincoln.

Outside of work, John enjoys leading the 4-H Dog Club called "4 On the Floor" and is a member of the cover band "Blacktop Pony." He and his wife, Krista, are proud parents of two beautiful children, Noah and Bella.

Rhonda Distefano

Rhonda Distefano

Vice President of Construction, Facilities Management & Environmental Services

Rhonda Distefano

Vice President of Construction, Facilities Management & Environmental Services

Distefano has nearly 30 years of experience in commercial construction. She brings the ability to create a vision of excellence throughout the construction, facilities management and environmental services areas of Immanuel. Distefano is a past board member of Habitat for Humanity.

Dr. Devin Fox

Dr. Devin Fox

Medical Director

Dr. Devin Fox

Medical Director

Dr. Devin Fox serves as the Vice President of Clinical Services at Immanuel, responsible for all clinical elements of each service line. Dr. Fox is a Board Certified Internal Medicine physician who has practiced in the Omaha area for over 20 years and has expertise in Geriatrics, Hospice care, Quality, Patient Safety, and Leadership Development. Before coming to Immanuel, he served as Chief Medical Officer at Creighton University Medical Center - Bergan Mercy. He is a member of the faculty of the Creighton University School of Medicine and the National Board of Medical Examiners. He serves as the Board Chair of Omaha's Josie Harper Hospice House and the BLUEBARN Theatre.

Betty Harris

Betty Harris

Vice President of Human Resources Strategy

Alan Jarecki

Alan Jarecki

General Manager of Culinary Operations

Pastor Brian Maas

Pastor Brian Maas

VICE PRESIDENT OF MISSION AND SPIRITUAL CARE

Jamie Pearson

Jamie Pearson

Vice President of Information Technology

John Sigmon

John Sigmon

Corporate Legal Counsel

Cynthia A. Alloway
Retired - CHI Health 

Rev. E. Jon Benson
St. John Lutheran Church

Brenda Bergman-Evans
Retired - CHI Health

John E. Bothof
Retired- Northwest Bank

Steven R. Bullock
OpenBook Pharmacy & Perfect Rx

Randal J. Burns
Foundation First Corporation

Dan R. Friedlund
Retired - Immanuel

George A. Grieb, Posthumous Emeritus
Retired - Creighton University

Eric N. Gurley
Immanuel

Kristen L. Hoffman, M.D.
Retired - Methodist Physicians Clinic

Scott J. Howerter
North Channel Capital

Bishop Scott A. Johnson
Nebraska Synod ELCA

Clarence L. Nichols
BancAlliance

Jill M. Powers
Retired - CHI Health

Steven A. Scanlan
Retired - Physicians Mutual

Andrea M. Skolkin
OneWorld Community Health Centers, Inc.

Jane A. Tonniges
Retired

Mary A. Balluff
Retired - Douglas County Health Department

Scott A. Bear
Immanuel 

Brenda Bergman-Evans
Retired - CHI Health

Deborah M. Conley
Methodist Hospital

Betty G. Foster
Retired - University of Nebraska Medical Center

Dan R. Friedlund
Retired - Immanuel

Eric N. Gurley
Immanuel

Rev. Timothy M. Koester
Saint Michael Lutheran Church

Carolina R. Padilla  
Intercultural Senior Center

Delight Wreed Byrd
Retired -  Bellevue University

Rev. E. Jon Benson
Saint John Lutheran Church

Randal J. Burns
Foundation First Corporation

Rev. Kathryn K. Gerking
St. Timothy's Lutheran Church

Eric N. Gurley
Immanuel

Kristen L. Hoffman, M.D.
Retired - Methodist Physicians Clinic

Bishop Scott A. Johnson
Nebraska Synod ELCA

Mary J. Parker
Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging

Jill M. Powers
Retired - CHI Health

Dara L. Troutman
University of Nebraska Foundation