"Management and Operations" to be Led by CEO of Southern Assisted Living, Inc.

CONTACT: Mike Lurie
Office: 410-455-6380
Cellphone: 443-695-0262
mlurie@umbc.edu

BALTIMORE - The Erickson School of Aging Studies at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) teams once again with the National Investment Center for the Seniors Housing & Care Industry (NIC) to offer a set of Executive Education courses. The series continues at UMBC on May 17-20 with a four-day seminar, "Management and Operations," led by Chris Hollister, CEO of Southern Assisted Living, Inc.

The seminar is the latest in a series of four-day Executive Education
seminars which the Erickson School at UMBC will host in 2006. A complete
schedule and overview of the full 2006 series is available at the bottom
of this advisory.

Although "Management and Operations" can be completed as a non-credit
course, industry executives also may complete this course for credit
toward one of two new graduate credit options. Executives can take this
course for 3 credits, or they can complete it as part of their
enrollment in the 4-course graduate certificate in Seniors Housing
Administration. (Those interested in the graduate-certificate option
should contact Dr. Leslie Morgan for further information at 443-543-5622.)

"Management and Operations" is designed to examine best practices in the
management and operations of the professional seniors housing and care
company. It begins with an explanation of the diversity, size and
complexity of the industry. It proceeds to focus on the science of
management and ethical leadership as it applies to the field, and the
importance of strategic thinking, obtaining a sustainable competitive
advantage through uniqueness, lower cost or better objective value, and
providing economic value above the cost of capital.

Chris Hollister is co-founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of
Southern Assisted Living, Inc. (SALI). SALI is the largest provider of
assisted living services in the state of North Carolina and one of the
top 20 assisted living providers in the nation.

Before founding SALI, he held various management positions in the assisted living and seniors
housing industry for over 19 years and continues to be a frequent
speaker at regional and national conferences. He served on the board of
the Assisted Living Federation of American (ALFA) from 2000-2004,
serving as Treasurer from April, 2002 to April, 2004. He received a BS
in Economics from Texas A&M University and an MBA from the Fuqua School
of Business at Duke University. Guest speakers will include a variety of
other experts from the seniors housing and care industry.

"Management and Operations" will examine the crucial role of employee
engagement, loyalty and service quality in detail, with the necessary
passion for understanding residents and achieving resident loyalty. The
role of corporate culture, organizational excellence and performance
measurement, including the balanced scorecard, are explained in the
context of delivering service quality and clinical outcomes in health care.

The course proceeds to examine operations of the various functional
areas including the role of management information systems and
technology. It also addresses best practices in food service,
hospitality, maintenance, social activities and other areas.

The course concludes with an examination of financial management and
reporting and the critical role of risk management in an increasingly
regulated, litigated and competitive environment.

NIC is an active partner with the Erickson School of Aging Studies at
UMBC and works closely with the Erickson School on numerous initiatives.
NIC brings to this seminar and the rest of the 2006 Executive Education
series a legacy of expertise in the field of senior living executive
development. The series will be held on the grounds of the Erickson
School, known for training emerging industry leaders in the burgeoning
seniors housing and care business.

"The 'Management and Operations' course offers an opportunity for executives to
enhance their credentials with graduate credits while focusing on best practices in
the management and operations of the professional seniors housing and care company,"
says Tony Mullen, Acting Director of Executive Education at the Erickson School and
the NIC Research Director.

About The Erickson School of Aging Studies:

The Erickson School of Aging Studies at UMBC was established in April
2004 with a $5 million commitment from John Erickson, CEO and founder of
Erickson. The school focuses on credit and non-credit professional
education, research, and policy in aging services and care.

The Executive Development Program at the Erickson School of Aging
Studies at UMBC is presented in partnership with NIC, a nonprofit
organization that has been the leading source of business and financial
information for the senior living industry since 1991. For the last six
years, NIC has conducted executive development courses in operations,
management, sales, marketing, development, finance, and service quality
for emerging industry leaders.

UMBC, an Honors University in Maryland, is a four-year, public research
university that is home to leading experts on aging who are active in
research, education, and service in the field of gerontology. It is one
of a handful of universities in the nation to offer a Ph.D. in Gerontology.

For further details, please call the Erickson School of Aging Studies at
UMBC at 443-543-5622.

More information online at:

http://www.umbc.edu/erickson

Remaining 2006 NIC Executive Education Courses At the Erickson School of Aging Studies at UMBC

Management and Operations
Led by Chris Hollister, CEO, Southern Assisted Living, Inc.
Date: May 17-20, 2006

Risk Management
Led by Allen Lynch, Partner, Nixon Peabody, LLP
June 7-10, 2006

Sales and Marketing
Led by David Smith, President, One on One, Service to Seniors
September 18-21, 2006

Finance, Underwriting and Investment Analysis
Led by Ray Braun, President, Chief Operating Officer & Chief Financial
Officer, Health Care REIT, Inc.
October 24-27, 2006

Development
Led by Phil Golden, President and COO, Shelter Properties
November 1-4, 2006

Organizational Excellence and Continuous Quality Improvement
Led by Tony Ingelido, Vice President, Asbury Services, Inc.
TBA