Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs announces new Home Administrator for Quincy Veterans' Home

SPRINGFIELD - Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs (IDVA) Director L. Tammy Duckworth today announced Vietnam War veteran Bruce Vaca as the new Home Administrator for the Quincy Veterans' Home.  Mr. Vaca will lead the oldest and largest of the state's four Veterans' Homes, providing domiciliary and nursing home care to more than 500 Illinois veterans.  The Director also thanked Acting Home Administrator John Wingerter for his hard work serving the Quincy Home residents.  Mr. Wingerter will remain working for IDVA in the Quincy Veteran Home, returning to his previous position as Adjutant.

 

"I am confident that Bruce will continue the Department's mission and do everything in his power to ensure that our veterans are getting the quality care that they've earned and rightfully deserve," said Director Duckworth. "I would also like to thank John Wingerter for all his hard work as Acting Administrator, and for continuing to serve the Quincy Home residents as Adjutant."

 

Founded in 1886, the Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy is the largest and oldest veterans' home of the four in Illinois. The Quincy Home provides quality care to over 500 veterans and their spouses in Domiciliary, Intermediate and Skilled nursing care.  These services are provided by a multi-disciplinary group of health care professionals as well as an array of supportive staff. The Quincy Home is comprised of over 50 buildings totaling just over 200 acres and is located in the northern part of scenic and historic Quincy in Adams County.

 

"As a veteran, I can't think of a better place to work than at one of the state's Veterans' Homes.  I am so pleased and honored to accept the position as Home Administrator, where I will be helping out my fellow comrades.  It really just seems like a natural place for me to work and I'm really looking forward to the future," Mr. Vaca said.

 

A resident of Sullivan, Illinois, Mr. Vaca brings considerable managerial experience to his new post as IDVA Quincy Veterans' Home Administrator.  From 1996 to 2002, Mr. Vaca served as Assistant Administrator for the Illinois Masonic Home where he was responsible for the overall daily operations of 350 beds, for all facility insurance and renewals, for training department heads in basic management, and where he restructured the centralized management system so that was more efficient and speedy.

 

From 1993 to 1995, Mr. Vaca was the Interim Administrator for the Meadowbrook of Cahokia and for the Westminster Management Company.  At Meadowbrook of Cahokia, Mr. Vaca was hired to bring the 150 bed Medicare facility up to a standard that would bring it back into state and federal regulatory compliance, allowing for its sale, as well as responsible for organizing all staff into a functioning team unit.  At Westminster, Mr. Vaca was responsible for the inter-city facility and the facility in Columbus, Ohio, until the permanent administrators were hired.  He restructured management of the facility, trained department heads in team approach to facility operations, and acquired the automated inventory supply system to track nursing supplies and enhance revenue in the nursing department.

 

And from 2003 to present, Mr. Vaca has held the position as Interim Administrator for numerous facilities, including Mattoon Healthcare Center, Scotchwood Healthcare Center, LaSalle Healthcare Center, and Livingston Manor.  In addition, Mr. Vaca was a substitute teacher for middle school and high school students.

 

Mr. Vaca is a United States Army Vietnam Veteran, who served from April of 1968 through August of 1971 as a combat engineer.  He has a Bachelor's in Social Work (BSW) and a minor in Gerontology from the University of Nebraska.  Mr. Vaca is married, has two children, and enjoys reading, traveling, golfing and fishing.

 

For more information, about the state's Veterans' Home, please visit IDVA's website at http://www.state.il.us/agency/dva/homes.htm.