WALA: Wisconsin Assisted Living Association names Michael Pochowski next CEO

Contact:Sarah Bass
(608) 288-0246 sbass@ewala.org

Madison: WALA, the Wisconsin Assisted Living Association, announces Michael Pochowski as the next CEO.

Michael (Mike) Pochowski has been employed at a national senior living company for the past 15 years, most recently as the Director, Government Affairs. This included overseeing the company’s government affairs program at the federal level and in each of their 46 states. Mike also managed the company’s memberships and relationships of several state and national trade associations.

Mike has a Master of Arts – Public Policy and Administration from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Arts – Political Science from the University of Wisconsin, Parkside.

Mike served on the WALA Board of Directors since 2012 and was the President of the Board from 2016 until 2018.

“I am honored and privileged that the WALA Board of Directors selected me to be the next CEO of WALA. Jim Murphy has done an amazing job of leading WALA for the past 22 years. These are enormous shoes to fill and I am very much looking forward to serving the WALA membership.”

Glen Choban, current President of the WALA Board of Directors has chaired the CEO search committee that has been meeting for over a year. The search committee reviewed over 60 applicants for the position and conducted an intensive interview process before asking Mike to be the next WALA CEO. Glen shares the following comments:

 “Jim Murphy has set the leadership bar very high during his more than 20 years as the CEO of WALA. He has built this organization into the largest Assisted Living Association in the State of Wisconsin, and we are grateful for his dedicated service. Jim will be missed by the membership of WALA, as well as by all those that he has worked with over the years. We certainly wish the very best for Jim in his retirement.”

  “We are confident that Mike Pochowski will continue to keep WALA as the leading Assisted Living Association in Wisconsin. I have worked with Mike for several years and have seen his passion for excellence first hand. He will be a great leader and will keep WALA strong and a respected industry leader for years to come.”

Jim Murphy, current executive director, added:

“As the Captain of the Good Ship WALA for the last 22 years, I have been honored to be part of such a dynamic team with engaged assisted living members. I am impressed by the detailed process that the WALA Board of Directors developed to review WALA’s past, analyze the present and project the future of WALA to meet member’s needs. In hiring Mike Pochowski, they have picked someone with national AL experience as well as state-wide WALA board, staff and program experience. I am pleased-as-punch to pass the baton to Mike.“

Mike Pochowski will assume the role starting July 16, 2018 and Jim’s last day will be his 70th birthday, July 27.