Building a Team on Faith
Greg Vital and Franklin Farrow are not what you’d expect of successful businessmen. In fact, they’re far from it. Unlike most, Vital and Farrow are reluctant to equate their personal success with their personal abilities. Instead, they believe that their accomplishments have come not from their own passion, acumen, and entrepreneurial spirit, but from faith—in God, each other, and their family of more than 1,600 associates.
Vital and Farrow are the founders of Morning Pointe Senior Living, which this year celebrates 25 years of service to seniors throughout the Southeast. For Knoxville area seniors, this will truly be a year worth celebrating as Morning Pointe brings two new campuses to the Knoxville area, further extending its footprint in East Tennessee.
The creation of additional Knoxville campuses will bring Morning Pointe’s footprint to 36 facilities across 5 states. Yet despite the growth and expanse of their enterprise, Vital and Farrow are still very much involved in its daily operation. In fact, theirs is a hands-on management style that is extremely rare with organizations of this size and scope, and a style that has clearly been a driving force in their success.
“Both of us have our personal faith in God,” says Vital, “We believe in each other, and we both have a personal belief in our ability to lead a team. We know that we can’t do this ourselves. You need to build a team and encourage that team.”
Franklin agrees. “In addition,” he says, “we have always looked to trusted advisors and mentors who were wise in the ways of business and on whom we could rely to help guide us; individuals who have really been with us since before the beginning. That is the kind of friendship and support that has helped get us to where we are today and through some tough times, from 9/11 to the COVID-19 pandemic. It never hurts to have people you trust telling you, ‘Don’t worry. You’ll get through this.’ And, thankfully, we have.”
Farrow and Vital’s journey together began in 1997 with Independent Healthcare Properties (IHP), a real estate development company born out of their shared vision of providing seniors with a more engaging and active lifestyle experience. The two had a vision for the future, however, that would take them far beyond their investor roles. In 2000, they took the first step in transitioning into a full-service senior living company with the acquisition of what would later become Morning Pointe of Calhoun, Georgia. Now, instead of a healthcare real estate development company, Vital and Farrow were operating Morning Pointe Senior Living, a faith-based, mission-centered management company Farrow and Vital’s journey together began in 1997 with Independent Healthcare Properties (IHP), a real estate development company born out of their shared vision of providing seniors with a more engaging and active lifestyle experience. The two had a vision for the future, however, that would take them far beyond their investor roles.
In 2000, they took the first step in transitioning into a full-service senior living company with the acquisition of what would later become Morning Pointe of Calhoun, Georgia. Now, instead of a healthcare real estate development company, Vital and Farrow were operating Morning Pointe Senior Living, a faith-based, mission-centered management company dedicated to changing the lives of individuals entering their retirement years.
Over time the two have continually refined both their business plan and their campus services. Innovations such as a farm-to-table dining program, an in-house physical and occupational therapy program, and a patented Meaningful Day™ memory care program continue to put Morning Pointe in a senior living category of its own. “It’s been an amazing journey,” says Vital. “For 25 years, it’s been an honor to serve the greatest generation while providing a wonderful career to our associates. And we are truly looking forward to 25 more.”
Morning Pointe Senior Living (877) 776-4683 6020 Arbury Way Ooltewah, Tennessee www.morningpointe.com