Greenhurst Nursing Center

Greenhurst Nursing Center Meets Community Needs

In an age of growing corporate ownership in the nursing home industry, Greenhurst Nursing Center in Charleston stands strong as an independent, family owned business.

The center has been in the Schaffer family since 1961 when matriarch Margaret and a few local investors, including Dale Bumpers, purchased the facility. Today, Greenhurst is run by her son, Martin C. “Kriss” Schaffer, and his brother, Fred. Kriss handles administration and Fred is the business manager.

A little more than a year ago, Greenhurst moved from its aging facility in Charleston to a site outside town on 36 acres. The move led to an expansion from 73 beds to 88.

“We’re the only shop in town,” Kriss Schaffer says. “That’s the way we like it.”

The Schaffers pride themselves on running a close-knit family business.

“My employees know that if they don’t have gas money, they can come to me and I’ll give them 20 bucks,” Schaffer says. “It works. We don’t have turnover. We have loyalty. Everybody watches everybody’s back around here. That’s the real secret to our success.”

Margaret Schaffer, whose husband died last year, served as administrator for 16 years, starting with a 20-bed facility. Kriss’ and Fred’s brothers Archie and Erich also worked as administrators before moving on to other businesses. Kriss, who’s 48 and earned his administrator’s license while in high school, has been with the facility 18 years, the past 12 as administrator. He’s also a registered nurse. Fred, 49, has been with the center for 20 years.

The center employs about 90 people and draws patients from a radius of 30 miles of Charleston, though a few come from California. he has had inquiries from New York.

“Fred spends the money. I do the hiring and firing. It works,” Kriss Schaffer says. “We know where every penny is spent around this place. It’s always been in the family, and that’s another thing.”