About Us
Our Mission
“JES | Prime Senior Living’s mission is to develop, build, manage and invest in quality housing where our families would be proud to live.”
Who We Are
JES Holdings is a privately-held family of companies with more than 950 employees. Since our inception in 1984, we develop, build, manage and invest in quality housing where our families would be proud to live. JES | Prime Senior Living was established as a member of the JES Holdings family of companies to create luxury independent, assisted living or memory care environments for seniors that celebrate and empower a vibrant lifestyle.
Our Expertise
With over 35 years of providing residents with exceptional service, we have developed high standards that drive every member of our experienced team.
Results
Our greatest investments, reaping the highest results, are the team members who uphold the vision of JES Holdings. Together, we have developed over 200 communities across ten states.
Company Culture
Our culture is what separates us from everyone else. We look for and reward dedication, innovation, creativity and hard work in each of our team members, because our success depends on it.
Our Core Values
Rewarding Accountability
A “Can-Do” Attitude
Honesty & Integrity
A Company Culture of Energy, Entrepreneurial Spirit, Teamwork
Innovative Thoughts and Actions
Mutually Beneficial Relationships
Optimized Potential via Hard Work
Professional Growth
Experienced Leaders
The strategic direction and day-to-day guidance provided by the JES Holdings leadership team generates the best possible experience for our stakeholders – our residents and their family members!
Jeffrey E. Smith
Founder & CEO
Jeffrey E. Smith, a fifth generation Boone County resident, is the Founder and CEO of JES Holdings, LLC. JES Holdings includes Affordable Equity Partners, Inc., JES Dev Co, Inc., Fairway Construction Co., Inc., Fairway Management, Inc., Capital Health Management, Inc. and JES | Prime Senior Living, LLC. With offices in Columbia and St. Louis, Missouri along with Atlanta, Georgia, this family of companies is dedicated to building quality, affordable and conventional housing across the United States.
With over 30 years of experience in the real estate and housing industries, Mr. Smith has been active with the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program since the creation of the Tax Reform Act of 1986. He was instrumental in drafting the legislation for the state tax credit in Missouri in 1990, Georgia in 2000 and Oklahoma in 2014. A recognized leader in the affordable housing industry, Mr. Smith received the first Governor’s Award for Excellence in Elderly Housing in Missouri.
Mr. Smith is a veteran who served as a US Army Captain and in the Army Reserves. He contributes to numerous charitable, civic and educational organizations including: The Missouri Review Smith Prize for Fiction, Non-Fiction and Poetry, Boys and Girls Club of Columbia, Heart of Missouri United Way, The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri, Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre and The State Historical Society of Missouri where he serves as a trustee.
The Jeffrey E. Smith Institute of Real Estate & Capital Markets was founded in 2005 and operates within The University of Missouri’s Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. School of Business. Mr. Smith is a member of the College of Business’ Strategic Development Board, The Herbert J. Davenport Society and recipient of the University’s Distinguished Alumni Award.
Walker Smith
President
As President of JES Holdings, LLC, Walker Smith focuses on the strategy and day to day operations of the company.
Walker began his career in real estate as the founder and CEO of JWS Developments, LLC, where he purchased, renovated, marketed, and rented residential real estate. He broadened his experience at The Kroenke Group, a leading U.S. owner and developer of shopping centers and apartments, and at Planigrupo, the largest developer and manager of shopping malls throughout Mexico and Colombia. Prior to joining JES Holdings, Walker worked for Rialto Capital Management, a real estate investment management company in New York City, where he financed commercial real estate through CMBS lending and securitization. He brings these experiences and expertise to his role as President of JES Holdings, LLC.
Walker graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Babson College. Concentrating in Finance, he was the recipient of The Wallace P. Mors Award which is awarded to the top finance student in the institution.
In addition to volunteering with The United Way, he honors his family’s commitment to providing educational opportunities in real estate and finance to students through the Jeffrey E. Smith Institute of Real Estate & Capital Markets. Founded in 2005, the institute operates within the Robert J. Trulaske, Senior College of Business at the University of Missouri.
Will Markel
Executive Vice President
For over 10 years, Will Markel has held many roles within the family of companies affiliated with JES Holdings, LLC. Today his role provides the financial oversight of Affordable Equity Partners, Fairway Management, Fairway Construction, Capital Health Management and JES Prime Senior Living underneath JES Holdings, LLC.
With over a dozen director-level leaders reporting to him he is responsible for business development, legislative oversight, market evaluation and financial planning. Will has created relationships in several states around the country with investors and development partners in the real estate industry.
Will is involved in his local community through the United Way Leadership Circle and as a member of the Herbert J. Davenport Society at The University Of Missouri.
The JES | Prime Senior Living Team
Here are a few of the reasons why our residents have an unrivaled experience in our communities.
Lewis Kelley
Executive Director
“Our goal is to provide the best experience for our residents and their loved ones.”
Executive Director of JES | Prime Senior Living, Lewis Kelley, makes it his mission to support a compassionate and competent team to help manage and operate The Village of Bedford Walk and Cross Creek at Lee’s Summit Assisted Living | Memory Care.
After graduating from Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas with his Bachelor of Applied Studies in adult care home administration, Lewis went on to gather over 16 years of senior living development, operation and sales experience throughout his career. In his position as Executive Director of JES | Prime Senior Living, Lewis uses his experience to ensure that the luxury independent living and assisted living | memory care communities are successful.
Outside of work, Lewis enjoys playing sports and traveling with his two sons. Additionally, he believes that health and fitness are very important aspects of life, which he also applies in his philosophy at JES | Prime Senior Living.
Are you passionate about improving the lives of others?
Steering Committees
We realize each community is special and unique, so we reach out to leaders in each community to help us shape the perfect living environment. From the first day of planning to each and everyday in the community, our steering committee members help guide us.
“My life changed. I became part of a community. This is not a place; it’s a community.”
Garth Russell, MD
Columbia Orthopaedic Group,
The Village of Bedford Walk Steering Committee
“The greatest joy of my life is being involved. I feel as if every day of my life I’m learning something new, and that’s fun.”
Beatrice Smith, PhD
Dean Emerita, College of Human Environmental Science at the University of Missouri,
The Village of Bedford Walk Steering Committee
“There’s a lot going on – a lot of activities, a lot of involvement, a lot of opportunities to continue to grow, to learn, to interact with lots of people.”
Michael Porter, PhD
Retired Professor, University of Missouri,
The Village of Bedford Walk Steering Committee
“Independent living is just the answer for some people. Going somewhere where I can be independent and safe and have the availability of certain services is going to extend my life and it’s going to certainly going to enhance the quality of my life.”
Barbara Levy
Author,
The Village of Bedford Walk Steering Committee
Philanthropy
Improving every community we touch is central to what we do every day. Our commitment to local and national philanthropies is no exception. JES Holdings employees embrace a corporate culture in which we extend our partnerships well beyond the real estate, healthcare and financial services industries. To learn more about JES Holdings philanthropic efforts, visit the JES Holdings website.
Charitable Giving
We believe in giving back to our local communities and we encourage our residents to do the same! This year, JES | Prime employees and residents raised money for the American Heart Association, ElderCare of Alachua County, Boys & Girls Club of Columbia, True North and more.
Volunteering
We are committed to strengthening our communities by dedicating our time and talents. JES Holdings and its family of companies have joined in the fight to end hunger by volunteering time and offering donations to local food banks. This year, JES | Prime employees and residents volunteered at The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri.
Resident Impact
Through the promotion of events and volunteer opportunities in our communities, resident involvement has skyrocketed. We have found that this involvement is not only beneficial for the communities we serve, but that our residents are healthier and happier when they have opportunities to make a difference in their cities.
Organizations We Love
We encourage you to educate yourselves on the organizations near and dear to our hearts.
Thank you.
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