Katie Kleinsmith, Silverwave Founder and CEO

has over 28 years of expertise in the senior living field having held sales and marketing, operations and development positions for some of the sectors’ best companies. Katie has held national level positions where she has been afforded the opportunity to be involved in the opening of over 100 senior living communities and 60 + acquisitions nationwide.

Katie began her career in senior living with Manor Health Care where she was on the first start up team responsible for rolling out the first Alzheimer’s specific Arden Courts Brand, hiring for and overseeing marketing and sales for the first 18 communities. Later she joined Brookdale Senior Living -as a regional for the East Coast- in its infancy when they had 12 properties – 6 operational and 6 under development. During this time, she experienced the company going public and then once again, being privately held. She led the pre-sales, marketing and opening of Brookdales’ flagship Hallmark community in Battery Park City, NY and was promoted to oversee the national sales effort during their high growth/acquisition span as the company went public and later under Fortress Investment Group.

Among many of her personal accomplishments was becoming Vice President of the Independent Full- Service Division of Senior Living for Marriott International. In this role she was responsible for P&L management for 47 communities nationwide with Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory care and Skilled Nursing programs. She held that role until Marriott sold the division to Sunrise Senior Living in 2003.

Having an entrepreneurial spirit, she took the opportunity to start her own company, Performance Improvement Partners. For almost 7 years, she and her team provided turnaround support, third party management and sales and marketing oversight across the country. The company also worked with clients such as Elderlife Financial and led their pilot program and helped them secure funding for their national roll out. They also supported Sunrise Senior Living and Brookdale on a variety of projects. At the time, client Rittenhouse Senior Living was expanding and Katie joined that team as SVP. After, she joined Remington Medical Resorts as their turnaround COO and prepared that company for sale.

Most recently, Katie was SVP at Caddis (9 th largest health care developer) and Chief Marketing Officer for Heartis Senior Living where she created and scaled the Heartis brand across the country. In this position, she established the operating platform, development and operating standards, underwriting assumptions and flag model for third party operators. Diligently interviewing and partnering with third party operators, she oversaw the on- going relationships and operations. During her tenure the firm developed over 700m in assets, secured over 350min debt and raised equity in house to support the development and construction of 24 senior living communities (18 open/6 in development).

Ms. Kleinsmith has been active in the industry and has held a variety of positions with supporting groups such as Board Member of the Alzheimer’s Association and was appointed to The Virginia Governors Commission for Alzheimer’s and Related Diseases. She is currently on the Board of Advisors for the
Diana R. Garland School of Social Work at Baylor University and is a member of Women’s Business Leaders for the US Healthcare Industry. Katie attended George Mason University and The George Washington University and has a certificate in Finance from Harvard Business School. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys spending time with her daughter Sarah and dog Pearl.

Marcy O’Conner, Silverwave Chief Financial Officer

has over twenty years of experience in financial management and accounting.  Prior to joining Silverwave, Ms. O’Connor was Vice President of Investments at Caddis Healthcare where she was responsible for overseeing the company’s financial functions including accounting, audit, treasury, corporate finance, and investor relations.  During her tenure with Caddis, Marcy transitioned to the role of fund management where she was responsible for successfully raising the Company’s first fund and overseeing the investment management of the Fund.  Marcy raised over $215 million in equity, restructured over $400 million of assets under management and completed over $675 million of transactional volume.  Ms. O’Connor was also a member of the investment committee.   

Prior to joining Caddis, Marcy was Controller of Treeview Real Estate Advisors, a real estate asset management and advisory firm located in New York City with a portfolio of 90+ Class A office and industrial assets totaling over 24 million square feet across the US. where she was hired as the first employee responsible for building out the accounting and treasury platform including data migration to accounting software, compliance and tax preparation of over 250 legal entities and treasury functions for 160 bank accounts.   During her tenure with Treeview, she was a member of the senior management team and was successful in growing the company to over 15 employees in two years, prior to making the move to back to Dallas, TX.  

Ms. O’Connor also held positions with Pine Bridge Investments, Cape Advisors, Inc., and Tishman Speyer.  Marcy has numerous years of experience in asset management, property management, development, family office management and fund management.   

Ms. O’Connor received her BA in Accounting from Southwestern Oklahoma State University and her Master’s from Fordham University in New York, New York.  Marcy is a Certified Public Accountant.  Outside of the office, Marcy enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, reading books and sneaking in long runs when the opportunity presents.  She also is active in her community and currently serves as the PTA Ways and Means officer at her daughters’ elementary school.

Frank Wehr, Chief Operating Officer

has 35 years of experience in the senior living industry, leading operations for highly respected operators and overseeing the acquisition and turnaround of over 150 properties across the U.S.

Most recently, Frank served as Chief Operating Officer for Artis Senior Living where he led the growth of the assisted living and memory care portfolio from a single facility to a network of 27 locations across 11 states within a seven-year span. In that role, he refined operational systems and successfully led the team through pandemic operations.  Frank provided leadership to both field and corporate support teams comprising 1,300 employees. Frank’s additional experience includes the role of Chief Operating Officer for Rittenhouse Senior Living.  Through collaboration with private equity investors, they acquired distressed properties and developed innovative independent living, assisted living and memory care properties.

Along with a partner, Frank founded Performance Senior Living with the strategic vision of acquiring and reviving distressed assisted living properties. In addition to successful acquisitions of multiple properties, he led their team to achieving 97-percent occupancy rates at the communities prior to their sale.  The company also provided senior housing marketing and operations consultancy services to external providers.

Prior to founding Performance Senior Living, Frank held the titles of Vice President of Senior Living for Genesis Health Ventures and Regional Director of Operations at Manor Healthcare Corporation where he opened the first wave of Arden Courts on the east coast. 

 Frank holds a degree in Healthcare Administration from West Chester University in West Chester, PA where he resides with his wife Beverly. Frank enjoys scuba diving, playing golf and spending time with his three adult children and two grandchildren.