Top 100 CEO Interviews
Issue No. 37 - October/November 2007
Doug renews aging infrastructure
Aged care provider Masonic Homes has begun a strong expansion campaign as it prepares to support much greater demand from the Baby Boomer retirement bubble.
Masonic CEO Doug Strain took up the post in July 2003 after being CEO of the Construction Industry Training Board from 1995 to 2003 and ED SA of the Institution of Engineers, Australia from 1990 to 1995. He was a Royal Australian Infantry officer from 1980 to 1990.
MHI is a not-for-profit institution offering residential and community aged care services and seniors living options in SA and the Northern Territory. Doug has seen it grow 20% under his care.
MHI employs more than 600 staff. Living units under management, now 500, should reach 800 by 2010. MHI operates five nursing homes with 450 residential care places and the array of community-based aged care services is set to achieve an annual revenue of some $12 million this year.
Doug believes his forte is “successful organisational regeneration”.
“In late 2003 we embraced a differentiation strategy to achieve breakthrough growth across our three operating businesses of residential aged care, community-based aged care and retirement living options,” he says.
“This has seen us over the past few years make significant investment in developing competitive advantage in ICT, becoming an employer of choice and building on our already well-recognised and respected brand.”
During the past year MHI rolled out new software across the enterprise and appointed its first Chief Information Officer, becoming a national leader in ICT innovation in its field.
Significant NT expansion saw MHI acquire the Darwin Nursing Home and Day Therapy Centre, and the With Care in-home care service, and begin the $35 million expansion of Tiwi Gardens Seniors’ Living Community in Darwin’s northern suburbs. MHI has also started on $50 million of new living units at Somerton Park, Ridgehaven and Heathfield.
Doug...
