Finalist
Consumer Services
James W. Rogerson began his career in health care as a boy working in his father’s business doing administration work for 16 long-term care facilities, long before he developed his own commitment to health care.
As a young man, he learned the importance of actions and attitudes and how to treat people. And most important, he learned how to be responsive to their needs. But when he attended college, he felt he needed to escape working in the field of adult long-term care. Instead, he studied computer science and math, but his journey would eventually take him back to what he knew best — long-term health care.
He eventually became chief operating officer at Eliza Jennings Senior Care Network, and this position allowed him to do what he knew best by instilling a commitment to excellence and improving practices for customer care. It was here that, in 2001, he helped form Therapy Partners, a therapy company to serve long-term care facilities that would generate additional revenue for the organization. After just a few years, Eliza Jennings wanted to close Therapy Partners, but Rogerson believed so much in the idea that he mortgaged his assets to acquire majority ownership in the company. Even the Eliza Jennings board thought this was a mistake, and there were rough times in the beginning as he tried to grow Therapy Partners. There were times he wasn’t able to take a salary, but he stayed committed, and under his leadership, the company has grown. Since 2006, when he resigned from Eliza Jennings to run Therapy Partners as its president and CEO, the number of employees has grown 225 percent and revenue has increased 250 percent.
But it’s not just the numbers that matter to Rogerson. He makes it a point to have lunch with staff during visits to client locations, he knows everyone’s name, and he is committed to continuing education. He also recognizes birthdays and anniversaries, and as a result of his dedication to his employees, Therapy Partners has been recognized as one of the top places to work in Northeast Ohio and boasts a 97 percent retention rate.
How to reach: Therapy Partners, (216) 227-7700 or www.therapypartners.com
