Executive Officers

Capital Senior Living has become a leader in the senior housing industry.  We invite you to meet the members of our executive management team!

Lawrence A. Cohen

Chief Executive Officer

Lawrence A. Cohen has served as one of our directors since November 1996 and as Interim Chairman of the Board since October 1, 2009.  He has served as our Chief Executive Officer since May 1999 and was Chief Financial Officer from November 1996 to May 1999. From 1991 to 1996, Mr. Cohen served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Paine Webber Properties Incorporated, which controlled a real estate portfolio having a cost basis of approximately $3.0 billion, including senior living facilities of approximately $110.0 million. From 1991 to 1998, Mr. Cohen was President and a member of the board of directors of ILM Senior Living, Inc. and ILM II Senior Living, Inc. Mr. Cohen serves on the boards of various charitable organizations and was a founding member and is on the executive committee of the Board of the American Seniors Housing Association. Mr. Cohen has earned a Masters in Law, is a licensed attorney and is also a Certified Public Accountant. Mr. Cohen has had positions with businesses involved in senior living for 25 years.

Keith N. Johannessen

President and Chief Operating Officer

Keith N. Johannessen has been a director since February 2004.  Mr. Johannessen currently serves as our President and Chief Operating Officer.  He has more than 30 years of operational experience in seniors housing.  Mr. Johannessen began his senior housing career in 1978 with Life Care Services Corporation and then joined Oxford Retirement Services, Inc as Executive Vice President.  He later served as Senior Manager in the health care practice of Ernst & Young LLP prior to joining the company in 1993.  Mr. Johannessen has served on the State of the Industry and Model Assisted Living Regulation Committees of the American Seniors Housing Association.  He holds a BA degree.

Ralph A. Beattie

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Ralph A. Beattie joined the Company as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in May 1999. From 1997 to 1999, he served as an Executive Vice President and the Chief Financial Officer of Universal Sports America, Inc., which was honored as the number one growth company in Dallas for 1998. For the eight years prior to that he was an Executive Vice President and the Chief Financial Officer for Haggar Clothing Company, during which time Haggar successfully completed its initial public offering. Mr. Beattie has earned his Masters of Business Administration and is both a Certified Management Accountant and a Certified Financial Planner.