Jerry Carley

President, Chief Executive Officer

Jerry Carley, president/CEO of Benedictine, brings more than 35 years of senior care experience with extensive governance, financial and operational oversight in multi- site, multi-state organizations. His experience includes, but is not limited to strong financial performance that exceeds industry benchmarks; strategic repositioning, diversification and expansion of services; long-range strategic planning and growth strategy development; creation of new companies and product lines; as well as new development and construction of continuing care retirement communities.

Prior to his current appointment, Carley served as a member of the Benedictine Board of Directors and its finance and strategy committees. He was an active participant, providing guidance to Benedictine leadership on overall financial and strategic direction as well as for the areas of quality, operations and Mission.

Before joining Benedictine, Carley was the president and CEO of CSJ Initiatives, Inc., Wichita, Kansas, a fully integrated senior care company that owns and manages nine corporations in six states and provides a variety of subject-matter expertise through service agreements to 15 organizations unrelated to CSJ Initiatives.

An experienced leader in Catholic health care, his past positions include president/CEO, Via Christi Villages, Inc.; divisional director of operations, Care Initiatives, Inc., West Des Moines, Iowa; and administrator, Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society, Sioux Falls, S.D.

Carley serves as a member of the LeadingAge Minnesota board of directors, currently serving as its Chair. He has previously served on the LeadingAge Kansas board of directors, the public policy committee for LeadingAge Iowa, committees for the Iowa and Missouri Health Care Associations and other professional and community associations in the Midwest.

Carley was recognized as one of Minnesota’s most powerful executives as noted in The Minnesota 500, The Most Powerful Business Executives published by Greenspring Media, in 2018, 2019, and 2020. He was also recognized as one of Minnesota’s Most Influential Health Care Leaders by Minnesota Physician Magazine in 2020.

He holds a Master of Business Administration in Financial Management from City University, Bellevue, Wash., and a Bachelor of Science in Health Services Administration from the University of South Dakota-Vermillion. Carley is also a credentialed Health Services Executive and a licensed nursing home administrator in Minnesota.