Meadow Ridge Names Patrick Boelens Plant Operations Director
Boelens succeeds Sal Gaetano, who retired after more than 24 years at the continued care retirement community.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in People
Patrick Boelens has been named plant operations director at Meadow Ridge, a continued care retirement community. He replaces Sal Gaetano, who retired after serving the community for more than 24 years.
Why it matters
Boelens is responsible for operations and maintenance across the entire Meadow Ridge campus, which spans 136 acres. The leadership transition follows the retirement of a long-serving director.
The 136-acre campus includes 302 independent living homes and the Ridge Crest health center, which offers assisted living, memory care, sub-acute rehabilitation and skilled nursing. Boelens brings about 20 years of leadership experience, including overseeing 820 homes at West Point Military Academy.
The players
Meadow Ridge
A continued care retirement community in Redding offering independent living, assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing services.
Patrick Boelens
A veteran facilities leader with prior service as a U.S. Marine Corps master sergeant and experience managing operations at West Point.
The details
The director oversees a team with responsibilities ranging from landscaping to housekeeping. Boelens earned an associate's degree in business administration from Mount St. Mary's College and previously led the team at The Emerald Peek Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Peekskill, New York, and served as a master sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Timeline
Sal Gaetano served Meadow Ridge for more than 24 years before retiring.
Boelens has accumulated roughly 20 years of leadership and plant operations experience.
Leadership Transition
Boelens steps into a role held for more than 24 years by Sal Gaetano, marking a handoff from one of the community's longest-serving operations leaders. The appointment continues a pattern of experienced facilities managers guiding the 136-acre campus.
Residents and families of the Meadow Ridge community may see continuity in campus maintenance and grounds care during the leadership handover. The change affects daily operations across the 302 independent living homes and the Ridge Crest health center.
The takeaway
Leadership continuity at long-running retirement communities depends on experienced operations directors who understand both grounds and care facilities. Readers tracking local senior living can watch how Boelens's background shapes campus priorities.
Further reading
Explore more People coverage tied to leadership moves in the Redding business community.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Westfair Communications.
