David L. Benni

Executive Director, King Home, Ten Twenty Grove, and Neighborhood Homes

Dave Benni began his career with Presbyterian Homes in 1986 as executive director of the King Home, a member of Presbyterian Homes, in downtown Evanston. In 1991, he assumed executive management of Ten Twenty Grove, an apartment residence for independent older adults across the street from the King Home.

In 1998, he took over the responsibilities of the senior management of the Neighborhood Homes program and in 2003, he added the oversight of the Neighborhood Homes Without Walls. Both of these benevolent projects, launched and operated by Presbyterian Homes, are designed to help make housing more affordable for older adults.

In reflecting on his career with Presbyterian Homes, Benni notes that the major renovation of the King Home is a project that he views with a great sense of satisfaction. "We took a very outdated facility with few amenities and turned it into a warm, traditional environment, which receives raves by residents and guests who visit the King Home," explains Benni. "The renovation was a critical component to the continued success of the long-standing King Home mission."

He is also pleased with the success of Ten Twenty Grove. Benni observes, "We were able to accomplish the blending of this unique independent community in an urban setting into the overall operations of the King Home and Westminster Place. I'm also proud that Ten Twenty Grove provides a sense of community and, most importantly, family to the residents who live there."

As a longtime member of Presbyterian Homes' administrative team, he remarks on the organization's willingness to change and grow, making room for fresh ideas. "Presbyterian Homes as an organization provides a working environment for new ideas, no matter what your position or level," Benni says. "This also applies to the organization's ability to listen to the residents. Continuing Care Retirement Communities need to change and evolve in order to stay viable in the future. I think the executive staff and the board of directors work hard to create this environment."

Benni spent the first fourteen years of his career in the food services industry, including nine years with Stouffers. He managed food services in hospitals, nursing homes, public and private cafeterias, executive dining rooms and private clubs. He received his bachelor's in marketing from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.

Currently, Benni serves on the board of directors of the Evanston Chamber of Commerce. Previously, he served for several years on the board of directors of Life Services Network, an association of not-for-profit Illinois retirement homes, where he held the position of treasurer and took part in a number of committees.