Cougar Capital Management, a vertically integrated real estate company specializing in transforming underutilized properties, announces a partnership with Willow Ridge Senior Living President and CEO Michael Morris. Since the pair met in late 2022, they have been committed to providing value to investors and residents alike. By collaborating on real estate development and investment projects, Cougar Capital Management hopes to address the growing need for accessible and high-quality senior living properties.
Founded in 2008 with the mission to enter long-term ownership and operation of real estate assets, Cougar Capital Management has expanded steadily over the years. The company’s portfolio is highly diversified with residential and commercial properties. Founder Dan Botwinik notes that Cougar’s ethos is built upon integrity and transparency. The company aims for excellence in everything they do. “Our portfolio boasts numerous projects that our team is proud of. Our partnership with Willow Ridge Senior Living represents a new market opportunity that we’d like to explore further with Michael Morris and his team's expertise in senior living. Outside of his professional background, Michael and I are aligned on our desire to support investors and residents in everything we do.
Dan met Michael when introduced by a broker regarding a senior living property that was not yet vacant. Although he had previously purchased vacant nursing homes and repositioned them, Dan was hesitant to get involved with this project with an operating but struggling senior living property. The operator was struggling to maintain the property and meet financial obligations but hadn’t ceased operations. Despite the risks, Dan decided to invest in this property due to Michael’s confidence in tackling the difficult challenges. The partnership was cemented as Dan’s team completed renovations and Michael’s team managed the operations and resident care, improving occupancy. Dan admired Michael’s deep care for resident satisfaction as well as his overall professionalism and business acumen. Together, the team completed 4 more acquisitions over the next 12 months.
Michael has been working in senior living for decades and offers his expertise to Dan in many of their projects. Throughout their collaboration, Michael has doubled the size of his business and leveraged several tools to ensure senior living properties are functioning at their best. Whether it be resident surveys or hiring qualified leaders, Michael has played a pivotal role in satisfying investors and residents at multiple levels.
“Working with Cougar Capital has been a rewarding experience that has been instrumental to the growth of Willow Ridge Senior Living,” says Michael Morris, President and CEO of Willow Ridge Senior Living. “Our partnership is built on the idea of delivering quality care to our residents, creating a rewarding working environment for our employees, and producing strong financial outcomes for our investors. We are focused on finding communities where Willow Ridge’s operational expertise can be maximized, leveraging our decades of experience in the industry to create value while ensuring our aligned philosophy of quality care is achieved.”
Cougar Capital Management and Willow Ridge Senior Living have cultivated a mutually beneficial relationship because of their ability to acquire distressed properties and willingness to add value wherever necessary. Through Michael’s experience and hands-on management, and with a willingness to make capital improvements when necessary, the pair can deliver the highest quality resident experience and create a great place for employees while also providing good opportunities for investors.
Media Contact
Name: Dan Botwinik
Email: [email protected]
