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

SPRINGFIELD - Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs (IDVA) Director L. Tammy Duckworth today announced United States Army Veteran Norman Gross as the new Home Administrator of the LaSalle Veterans' Home - a state run facility that provides domiciliary and nursing home care to more than 100 Illinois Veterans.  The Director also thanked Acting Home Administrator Bruce Vaca for his hard work serving the LaSalle Home residents for the past four months.  Vaca will return to his position as Home Administrator of the Quincy Veterans' Home.

 

"I am pleased that Norm will be joining our team and I am confident that he will continue the Department's mission, doing 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 Bruce Vaca for the great job he did as Acting Administrator, and for continuing to be part of the agency, serving as the Quincy Home Administrator."

 

The LaSalle Veterans' Home was opened in December of 1990 and is one of the state's four Veterans' Homes.  Located in a residential area on the northeast side of LaSalle, Illinois, the Home provides quality care to over 100 Veterans in 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.  

                                                                                                                                 

"My career has been devoted to the care of our seniors.  I have a great respect for our Veterans, it is a privilege and an honor to serve them," Gross said.

 

A resident of DeKalb, Illinois, Gross brings considerable managerial experience to his new post as IDVA LaSalle Veterans' Home Administrator.  With over 33 years of broad health care experience, Gross has served as the Administrator for a number of long term care facilities throughout Northern Illinois.  He most recently served as Administrator of a shelter care and retirement center, along with senior apartments.  He also had previously worked in the area as an Administrator at Heritage Manor Nursing Home in Mendota.

 

From 1996 to 2000, Gross served as Administrator of facilities in Naperville and Aurora.  From 1989 to 1991, Gross was the Nursing Home Administrator of Pine Acres Care Center in DeKalb, IL.  From 1986 to1989 and again from 1991 to 1996, Gross served as Administrator of Fairview Manor in Belvidere, IL. 

 

Gross also served as Regional Administrator for Care Management from 1983 to1985.  At Care Management, he was responsible for evaluating, directing, and counseling in all areas of the nursing homes operations and retirement centers as well as formulating policies and procedures. 

 

Gross was Chairman of the Lee County Welfare Council, sponsored fundraisers for the Mendota Area Senior Service, and was a member of Rotary International.  He is also a past Board member of the Northwestern Illinois Area Agency on Aging; Belvidere Chamber of Commerce; American Cancer Society; American Hearth Association; United Way; and the DeKalb County Crisis Line.  In addition, Gross taught Nursing Home Administration at Northern Illinois University for several years.

 

Gross holds a Master's Degree in Community Mental Health with a concentration in Administration and Geriatrics from Northern Illinois University.  He is married, has a son, and enjoys motorcycling, biking, traveling, gardening and the outdoors.  He is also an avid student of World War I aviation history. 

 

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