Pines of Sarasota announces new leadership

The Pines of Sarasota Rehabilitation and Senior Care Community is ushering in a new season of leadership.

The senior care facility announced Mike Ward as its new president and CEO.

“Pines has such a great history in Sarasota of excellence in senior care,” Ward said. “I’m excited to join a campus with such a great tradition of service, and even more excited about continuing to grow this legacy as we look to the future.”

Ward earned his undergraduate degree at University of South Florida and his master’s degree from Western Governors University.

The announcement comes just over a month after Estelle Crawford stepped down as head of the Pines of Sarasota Foundation.

The facility, which is celebrating its 70th year in Sarasota, said Ward’s experience at multiple levels of the senior care field suits him to usher in a new phase at the Pines.

“We conducted a thorough search for the right person to head up our multifaceted campus,” Pines of Sarasota Board Chairman Peter Abbott said. “Mike brings a wealth of experience to the table, and a significant understanding of the changing world of senior care.”