News

New PWL Cochrane GM anticipates opening
in late spring or early summer

January 23rd, 2019

Kevin Cucheron has been named General Manager of Points West Living Cochrane. While the opening of the newest PWL community is still a few months away, Kevin will be busy, meeting the community, building the care partner team, and learning as much as he can from PWL program leads and other GMs. 

Background in customer service

Kevin comes to Points West Living with a rich background of customer service, with 20+ years in the private club industry including roles in management of food, beverage, and Clubhouse operations, as well as General Manager and Chief Operating Officer.

All about people

Since clubs are “all about people,” Kevin feels his skills will enhance service in a supportive living environment. “I’m passionate about customer service. My goal in the private club industry was to create a second home for members, focused on events and services that created a family-friendly atmosphere, comfort, and enjoyment. Whatever services we offer, whatever decisions we make, if they’re in the best interest of the residents then we’ll probably be making the right decisions.”

"Eden sounds nice, but is it practical?"

“I have had the personal experience of first my grandmother and then my father requiring dementia and designated care,” Kevin says, and when he saw the job posting for PWL Cochrane, he dug deeper. “The Points West Living philosophy intrigued me. As I looked into the Eden philosophy of care, it seemed like a good fit.”

He did wonder though, “Eden sounds nice, but is it practical? Can we do this?” But as he meets more people and visits more PWL communities, he says, “Everything that I’ve experienced so far is, it’s true. It’s not just talk; it’s walk.”

Building service-oriented team

Over the next few weeks, Kevin will begin hiring for key positions at PWL Cochrane, and he feels confident he can build a service-oriented team. “I learned a long time ago that our strength is in developing and serving as teams. We are in the service industry,” he says. “Our job is to provide services people want and respect and feel comfortable with.”

Keeps coming back

Born in Williams Lake BC, Kevin’s family moved to the Okanagan Valley when he was two, and he lived in Vernon until he was 20. He has studied at both Okanagan College and University of Calgary. His work experience has taken him to seven clubs from Toronto to the West Coast – including notables such as the Glencoe Golf and Country Club in Calgary, and Capilano Golf and Country Club in West Vancouver – but he keeps coming back to Calgary. He and his wife and daughter now live there, “almost as far northwest as you can be and still be in Calgary,” so he’s a short commute to PWL Cochrane.

In his spare time, Kevin is an avid fly fisherman, heading to the Bow and Elbow rivers close to home and to lakes further north, for his “emotional and stress-free outlet.” He also enjoys fly fishing competitions (he’s ranked #11 in Canada) and teaching the sport to young people.

Timeline for PWL Cochrane Phases 1 & 2

Phase One of PWL Cochrane providing 122 Designated Supportive Living (DSL) suites (accessed through Alberta Health Services) opens to residents in late spring or early summer of this year. In Phase Two, a separate but connected building providing Independent Supportive Living (ISL) apartments is slated to be built with suites available for rent in 2021-22.

Photo: Kevin Cucheron is the new General Manager for PWL Cochrane. He says local residents are understandably keen to get a look inside the new building, but it’s still a construction site and will be for some time, “Outside looks like it’s ready to go, but the inside is still very much a work in progress!” Kevin says the new building will be open for Designated Supportive Living residents in late spring or early summer of this year.