Joe Pohlen is the CEO of Cardinal Senior Living, a company he started in 2015 with Chuck Gray. They began by leasing seven senior living communities in Pennsylvania, many of which were struggling. With strong management and clear focus, Cardinal turned these communities around financially. In December 2022, the communities were sold.
In 2022, Cardinal also teamed up with a family office from Latin America to buy 13 more communities in Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Cardinal now focuses on owning, running, and managing these communities for the long term.
Today Cardinal operates 21 communities in Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania. With the goal to grow the company to 60 communities over the next 10 years.
Before starting Cardinal, Joe worked at Ancora Properties from January 2012 to September 2015. He helped grow the company from the ground up, focusing on buying and fixing up distressed apartment and self-storage properties.
Joe earned a degree in Entrepreneurship and Public Administration from Grand Valley State University. He serves on the Pennsylvania Health Care Association and the NIC Future Leaders Council (FLC) Board, helping improve the senior living industry.
Joe lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with his wife, Claudia, and their 8-year-old son, Jackson.