Holiday Retirement

William E. Colson and his father Hugh Colson founded Holiday Management Company in Salem, Oregon in 1971.[2] William Colson also served as President and Managing General Partner for Holiday Management Company’s in-house Colson & Colson General Contractor, Inc. The company’s first community, Kamlu Retirement Inn-Vancouver, opened in Vancouver, Washington on November 1, 1971. Holiday Management Company added a second community, Edgewood Downs, in Beaverton, Oregon on June 1, 1977.

Holiday Retirement’s first nine communities were exclusively in the western region of the United States, including (Washington, Oregon, California, and Idaho). The company expanded east by opening Harrison Regent in Ogden, Utah on July 1, 1985. Communities were also built in Pueblo, Colorado; Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Amarillo, Texas in 1985. The Victorian became Holiday Retirement’s first Canadian community, opening on August 1, 1987 in Victoria, British Columbia; however, Holiday Retirement sold its Canadian communities in 2014.[3]

The company's name changed to Holiday Retirement in 1987,[4] and it added multiple communities to the portfolio every year from 1988 to 2009. The company's largest growth occurred in 1998 and 1999 with the addition of 22 properties in each year.

Colson sold Holiday Retirement in 2007 to Fortress Investment Group LLC of New York.[5] Colson died of colon cancer on May 20, 2007.[2] Upon selling Holiday, Colson agreed to a five year stay on building new retirement communities and then in their sixth year began building under the name "Hawthorn."

Holiday Retirement headquarters were officially relocated to Lake Oswego, Oregon on April 16, 2012. Five years later, the company announced it would bs moving their headquarters again to Winter Park, Florida in April 2017. The move was completed in July 2017.

Holiday Retirement is widely recognized as the pioneer of independent retirement living communities.[2] Each community provides private apartments or cottages for seniors. Services include three meals daily, transportation, housekeeping, and activities. Most services, amenities and utilities are combined into a month-to-month rental payment.[6] The company introduced an offsite management model enabling managers to live offsite. The transition to a three person manager model was introduced in May 2016 and completed in all communities in April 2017.

Unlike nursing homes or assisted-living communities, independent retirement living communities do not provide skilled nursing or assistance with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, eating, or taking medication. However, residents of Holiday Retirement can use outside home health care services to meet additional needs. Residents also have access to a mobile emergency response device that can be used anywhere, anytime.

One of the distinct features of Holiday Retirement is an exclusive travel program. Residents and employees can book guest apartments at nearly any other Holiday Retirement property free of charge. Guest suites can be booked up to seven days. Meal service, transportation, and nearly all other services are included at no additional cost.[7]

Holiday Retirement developed the Seniors Serving Seniors and Seniors Serving Society program, which coordinates volunteer opportunities for residents. The program was awarded in 2007 by the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA).[8]

Dr. Bill Thomas (hired in 2016 as the company's first chief wellness officer), and Dr. Sara Kyle (hired in 2018 as the company's director of resident experience) work together to develop resident programs rooted in the Eden Alternative where residents continue to grow and thrive as older adults, and help educate Holiday’s associates on how to help residents through strength, purpose and belonging.

Residents support a variety of local drives and fundraisers, including Toys for Tots, the Buddy Bear Program, the American Red Cross, The Humane Society, local food banks, schools, police and fire, senior centers, and veterans-related causes.[9]

Many veterans and surviving spouses are residents of Holiday Retirement. The company is a National Founding Partner in the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project, which collects and preserves veterans’ personal accounts of war.[10]

• 2017: 87 communities recognized in SeniorAdvisor.com's "Best of Awards"[11]
• 2018: 12 Holiday Retirement communities were included on the 2018 Caring Stars Award[12]
• 2019: Named "Best Place to Work" by Fortune’s list of Best Workplaces for Aging Services for 2019[13]

• List of companies based in Oregon