Peter Kolb Celebrates 14 Years at Cedar Crest

Senior Facilities Manager is an everyday hero helping people live better lives.

Pequannock, N.J. (March 5, 2018) Peter Kolb's career as senior facilities manager for Cedar Crest started with his mini bike.

"When it broke, I learned how to fix it. Starting at a young age, I like to take things apart to find out what made them work," says Kolb, who started working for the Erickson Living-developed and -managed retirement community in Pompton Plains, New Jersey, when he was 18 as a maintenance apprentice. Now, 14 years later, he's still happily with the same company and has held nearly every position in maintenance and facilities.

"The opportunities from the company for career growth and the opportunity to work with a team on a daily basis are phenomenal.  Cedar Crest is very much dedicated to engagement and making sure you love coming to work," he says. "This company has helped me; I love what I do. It's a passion."

"At Cedar Crest, we place a heavy emphasis on helping our employees grow professionally and personally," says Todd DeLaney, executive director at Cedar Crest. "Our tuition reimbursement program, scholarship fund, and various other employee discounts help us attract and retain everyday heroes like Peter."

While Kolb has helped Cedar Crest expand over the past 14 years, Cedar Crest has helped him grow professionally in turn. He utilized the company's tuition reimbursement program to obtain various trade school degrees, licenses and certifications such as HVAC, Plumbing and Mechanical as well as his CPMM Certification (Certified Professional Maintenance Manager) through the accredited American Society of Facilities Engineers Association. Kolb has also taken college courses in Mechanical Engineering and Project Management computer programs.

In a day and age when 44.2 million Americans hold $1.48 trillion in total U.S. student loan debt, tuition reimbursement is a high-ranking benefit, as is the Scholars Fund. Since 2003, the company has provided 340 student-worker scholarships valued at $1 million. The Scholars Fund Program is funded by the residents, staff and community partners to support high school students employed on campus who have shown commitment to serving the Cedar Crest community.

So what's better than money to help you earn your college degree? Kolb says it's the fact that Cedar Crest recognizes experience counts, too.

"What's nice about this company is they evaluate you on your performance and take into consideration your years of experience in order to do a job in a management position," Kolb says.

They do that by getting to know their employees and offering career path mentorships like the one Kolb developed with Erik Jost, regional director of Maintenance and Engineering.

"The mentorship program is about sharing knowledge and experience," says Jost. "I brought Peter under my wing to help him get not only the knowledge and experience but also the exposure needed to be successful along his career path."

Kolb describes the culture at Cedar Crest as "very personable" and says each individual is not just a number.

"You're not just a face; you're a person. We're family here," he says. That culture extends to relationships with residents, too, which, as most Cedar Crest employees—Kolb included—will tell you are the greatest reason for working there.

In his current role, Kolb says he can truly fulfill his sense of purpose and the company's mission: "I can't go home at the end of the day without feeling a sense of accomplishment. In this role, we're really helping the operations of the community continue in a steady, safe direction on a daily basis. We're helping people live better lives."

There are close to 1,000 full- and part-time employees at Cedar Crest. Employee benefits include tuition reimbursement, 401K, paid time off, comprehensive medical benefits, on-site employee health and wellness centers, employee discount programs and much more. In 2017, Cedar Crest promoted 31 employees.

Kolb is the type of everyday hero Cedar Crest is recruiting. When people join Cedar Crest's team of everyday heroes, they gain more than a great job in a booming industry—they gain unparalleled access to an array of rich experiences, knowledge, and opportunities that will prove invaluable to their personal and professional growth. What's also rewarding for them is that they get to change lives for the better.  For more information about Erickson Living careers, visit https://jobs.ericksonliving.com.

About Cedar Crest: Cedar Crest, one of 19 continuing care retirement communities managed by Erickson Living®, is situated on a scenic 130-acre campus in Pompton Plains, New Jersey. The community is located in Morris County and is home to 1,800 residents. Additional information about Cedar Crest can be found at CedarCrestCommunity.com.

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Written by Julia Collins