Congrats Janet our Victorian Manager of the Year

Congrats Janet, our Victorian Manager of the YearCongratulations to Janet Fisher, manager of Lendlease’s Meadowvale village in Melbourne’s east, for winning the Victoria/Tasmania Manager of the Year award for 2016. With an employment history in aged care and education, as well as study in gerontology, Janet has managed the Meadowvale community of 225 residents since 2007, as well as overseeing the operation of the nearby Forest Hills Village. Meadowvale was established in 1986 and doesn’t have some of the facilities of newer and recently constructed communities, but Janet has worked together with the residents to ensure Meadowvale remains a vibrant and active community, with upgrades to communal buildings and villas. Janet has implemented sustainable, solar powered street lighting throughout the village to reduce residents’ utility bills, and established strong community connections with the Bunarong Men’s Shed located at the village, which is a national initiative promoting men’s health. She oversaw a change to the village’s pet policy, making it ‘pet friendly’ and consulted residents to allay any concerns they may have had. She now mentors other village managers in the Lendlease portfolio on how to enhance resident lifestyles by fostering strong community connections and creating a caring culture, with high occupancy rates and resident satisfaction levels. Janet has recently started regular informal ‘Chat and Chew’ meetings, where people who may not have felt comfortable speaking up at larger village-wide meetings can raise any concerns; the outcomes of these are shared Janet’s regular fortnightly newsletter. “As a committee, we know how lucky we are to have a manager of Janet’s calibre working on our behalf here at Meadowvale,” said Meadowvale residents committee chairperson Mary Johnston. “Janet has an amazing capacity to come to grips with the everyday maintenance issues that arise in a village which is over 30 years old.” “With her inclusive and communicative management style, Janet is also an inspiration to her team,” said Michael Eggington, Managing Director, Retirement Living. “She consistently recognises and celebrates achievements, encourages new ideas and provides challenges to increase self-confidence and aid in professional development.” Celebrate Janet and the other 2016 managers of the year when the national winner is presented by award sponsor Programmed Property Services at the National Retirement Living Summit on 28 November in Melbourne.