IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 12, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- American Healthcare Investors, a commercial real estate investment firm that specializes in the acquisition and management of healthcare-related properties, announced today that Christopher Belford has joined the company as an executive vice president, asset management.
Belford joins American Healthcare Investors from Brookdale Senior Living, where he served as the president of their western division. While with Brookdale, the largest owner and operator of senior living communities throughout the United States, he was directly responsible for managing 269 senior living and retirement communities, representing 24,400 units in 11 states in the western half of the U.S. and overseeing in excess of 14,000 employees.
In his new role, Belford will oversee all senior housing, skilled nursing and hospital properties within American Healthcare Investor’s $8 billion portfolio of assets under management. In his capacity as an executive vice president of asset management, Christopher Rooney will continue to oversee all medical office buildings within the portfolio in his capacity as executive vice president of asset management.
“Chris Belford is a key addition to our executive team, bringing with him more than 24 years of senior level experience in the healthcare space, including extensive experience in the administration of healthcare facilities that provide independent living, assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing for seniors,” said Danny Prosky, co-founder of American Healthcare Investors. “Since our founding in 2012, American Healthcare Investors has quickly grown to become one of the largest managers of healthcare real estate in the nation with more than $8 billion in assets under management. Adding an executive of Chris’ caliber is essential to our continuing success and we couldn’t be more pleased to have him join our management team.”
Prior to being named president of Brookdale’s western division, Belford worked as senior vice president of operations for Emeritus Assisted Living from January 2001 until its merger with Brookdale in July 2014. With Emeritus, he was responsible for the operation of 270 communities in 18 states across the Western U.S. He began his career with Emeritus in 2001 as vice president of operations. He also previously served in executive capacities with BPM Assisted Living/Regent Assisted Living and ERA Care Inc., where he began his healthcare career in 1991.
Belford received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Washington State University and completed post graduate studies at Seattle University.
American Healthcare Investors manages a 29 million-square-foot portfolio of healthcare real estate valued at approximately $8.0 billion, based on aggregate purchase price, on behalf of multiple investment programs that include thousands of individual and institutional investors. As of Jan. 1, 2016, this international portfolio includes approximately 581 buildings comprised of medical office buildings, hospitals, senior housing, skilled nursing facilities and integrated senior care campuses located throughout the United States and the United Kingdom.
About American Healthcare Investors LLC
American Healthcare Investors is an investment management firm that specializes in the acquisition and management of healthcare-related real estate, including medical office buildings, senior housing facilities, skilled nursing facilities and hospitals. The founders of the company are nationally recognized real estate investment executives who have completed in excess of $22 billion in aggregate acquisition and disposition transactions during their careers, approximately $12 billion of which have been healthcare-related. American Healthcare Investors is committed to providing investors with access to the potential benefits that healthcare-related real estate ownership can provide. For more information regarding American Healthcare Investors, please visit www.AmericanHealthcareInvestors.com.