Michelle McKinney, president and co-owner, Legacy Place, Highland, Breese and Waterloo

    Just 44 years old, Michelle McKinney has been involved in the management of senior housing for nearly 24 years. Now president and co-owner of Legacy Place, a network of four senior communities in Southwestern Illinois, McKinney got her start with Capital Senior Living, based in Dallas, Texas.
    Over the years, she has worked with a variety of senior housing businesses for and nonprofit and eventually started her own consulting company, Closer LLC.
    In 2009, Scott Plocher, president and owner of Plocher Construction Co., was approached by a landowner in Highland with the idea of building a senior housing community. Eager to keep his employees working during tough times, Plocher decided to tackle the project. With no experience in senior living, Plocher needed an expert to help turn the bricks and mortar into an operating community. He turned to McKinney.
    Impressed with her knowledge, skills and abilities, Plocher asked her to come into the new company and made her president of Legacy Place. In just six years, it’s grown from one to four communities and from 20 to 120 employees. A fifth is being planned in Mascoutah.
    “Legacy Place continues to make huge strides,” McKinney said. “Our communities are constantly flourishing because of our residents and staff.”