Todd Willett – Ebenezer

When Todd Willett became chief financial officer of Ebenezer in 2016, he stepped into a role that blended his love for numbers with a deep, personal respect for older generations. In the years since, his financial stewardship has helped the organization not only grow into Minnesota’s largest senior living operator but also expand its reach into new markets while staying true to its mission: helping older adults live longer, healthier, more meaningful lives.

Todd Willett | Ebenezer | Chief Financial Officer

With roots in accounting and a CPA credential, Willett began his career in public accounting, specializing in senior living. Initially, the industry wasn’t a deliberate choice—but it became a calling. Raised in a small town of 300 people where respect for elders was ingrained, Willett grew up on his family’s farm with his grandparents living just across the driveway. His grandparents, great-grandmother, and the tight-knit elders in his hometown shaped his view of aging—not as a decline, but as a stage of life that deserved dignity, care, and community.

“Senior living is the perfect place for me,” Willett says. “We’re taking care of the generations that came before us.”

Meeting industry challenges with strategic growth

Ebenezer has been providing senior care and housing for over 100 years. With a mission rooted in compassion, innovation, and partnership, the nonprofit operates across Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, South Dakota and Nebraska , offering a range of housing options, community-based programs, and medical care. The organization manages everything from independent living and assisted living to memory care and transitional care, as well as senior cooperatives under its Estoria Cooperatives brand.

While the demand for senior housing is surging, the industry faces significant challenges—chief among them staffing shortages and the need for financially sustainable operations.

“You can build a building anywhere and fill the need,” Willett explains, “but who works in those buildings? That’s the challenge.”

For Ebenezer, growth isn’t about adding communities for the sake of expansion. It’s about strategically identifying projects that meet both market demand and workforce availability. Willett and his team evaluate each opportunity against a strict set of criteria: location, demand, workforce stability, operational sustainability, and financial viability.

“We probably say ‘no’ more than we say ‘yes,’” he says. “If it doesn’t fill up fast enough or operate well, the strain is huge.”

This disciplined approach has positioned Ebenezer as a leader in the upper Midwest, even as new development in Minnesota slowed after 2020 due to changes in building codes. Rather than chasing growth in far-flung markets, the organization focuses on regional expansion within 500 miles of Minneapolis, with recent and planned projects in Wisconsin and Iowa.

Diversifying through innovative housing models

One of Ebenezer’s most exciting areas of growth is in senior cooperatives—housing designed for active adults aged 55 and older. Popular in Minnesota, co-ops offer residents ownership stakes, larger living spaces, and amenities such as golf simulators, pickleball courts, music rooms, dog-washing stations, and expansive common areas.

Ebenezer manages roughly 65 senior co-ops, making it the largest operator in the state. But with the launch of its Estoria Cooperatives brand, it’s also re-entering the development side. The first Estoria is under construction in Lakeville, with another planned for the Oakdale-Woodbury area. Demand for co-ops is spreading into surrounding states, and Willett sees this as an opportunity to blend innovation with financial stability.

From his seat as CFO, Willett is deeply involved in feasibility studies and return analyses. Projects typically take four to four-and-a-half years from site selection to full occupancy, requiring a year of planning, up to 16 months of construction, and aggressive pre-opening marketing. Each step is evaluated not only for profitability but also for how it supports Ebenezer’s mission.

“We’re choosy,” Willett says. “We don’t work with just anybody. We want to make sure we’re partnering with people who share our values.”

A culture of pride, compassion & longevity

Beyond bricks, mortar, and balance sheets, Willett’s role is about sustaining the culture that makes Ebenezer unique. From executives to front-line caregivers, everyone shares a passion for elder care that goes beyond a paycheck.

“Everywhere you go, you hear stories about people in our communities,” Willett says. “The responsibility of caring for these individuals and earning their trust provides a sense of pride and fulfillment.”

That pride is evident in Ebenezer’s workforce, which, according to Willett, is in a stronger position today than before the COVID-19 pandemic. Staffing stability didn’t happen by accident—it was the result of intentional investment in recruitment, training, and retention over the past two years.

The finance team has also grown, with long-tenured members who bring consistency and institutional knowledge. This stability allows Ebenezer to nurture relationships with building owners, vendors, and community partners, ensuring that each project remains financially and operationally healthy.

For Willett, success comes down to people—residents, staff, and partners.

“The work we do impacts the lives of 14,000 people every day,” he says. “That’s what drives me.”

Looking to the future

As Ebenezer eyes the next phase of growth, Willett is guiding the organization toward a more regionalized presence in the upper Midwest. This means developing clusters of communities in strategic markets rather than scattering single sites across vast distances. It also means continuing to diversify the portfolio, blending traditional senior housing with innovative cooperative models.

Known and respected in Minnesota, Ebenezer is now focused on gaining recognition on a national scale by attending national conferences, networking, and word-of-mouth referrals. By building partnerships with mission-aligned organizations, Ebenezer is well-positioned to replicate its success in Minnesota in neighboring states.

The path forward will be selective, deliberate, and rooted in the same values that have guided the organization for more than a century. Whether it’s a ground-up cooperative in Iowa or a management partnership in Wisconsin, Willett ensures each decision aligns with both mission and margin.

“Being thoughtful about our growth is key,” he says. “It’s not just about building something new—it’s about building something that lasts.”

In the senior living industry, numbers alone don’t tell the story. For Willett and Ebenezer, the balance sheet is intertwined with lives lived fully, communities built intentionally, and a century-old mission carried forward. From his small-town upbringing to his current role as CFO, Willett has never lost sight of what matters most: honoring and enriching the lives of those who came before us.