Senior Living Operator Immanuel Names New Top Leader Ahead Of Ceo’s Retirement

Nonprofit senior living provider Immanuel has named COO Julie Kaminski as president and CEO, succeeding retiring CEO Eric Gurley on April 20.

Gurley served 17 years with the organization and announced his planned departure late last year.

In emailed comments sent to Senior Housing News, Kaminski described her leadership style as “people-first,” with “no pretense.” She added that she is able to create an environment where leaders can disagree while still forming constructive solutions.

“Trust grows when we work side by side, collaborate openly, and stay focused on a shared purpose that moves us forward together. At Immanuel, we have a strong leadership circle that is just that, with a clear vision for the future and mission at its core,” Kaminski told SHN.

Immanuel operates 15 communities across Iowa and Nebraska.

Kaminski said her past experience as Immanuel’s COO prepared her for leading the operator into the future.

The senior living provider reached 94% average occupancy in 2025, driven by strong demand for needs-based services for those 80 and older, as “strong demand from baby boomers” has positioned Immanuel to pursue future growth, Kaminski said. 

In 2026, Kaminski sees opportunities to further embrace technology to improve care delivery, focus on affordability and the “unbundling of services,” while focusing on clinical integration and finding “measured growth” opportunities in acquisitions or expansions opportunities.

“I always say it is the little things that we do or that we don’t do that set us apart. We have spent a good portion of the past two years elevating our resident, employee and participant experience approach,” Kaminski said.

Looking ahead, Kaminski said she sees the future for Immanuel as being “bright and full of potential and growth,” while ensuring a smooth transition of leadership later this year.

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