Evergreen Healthcare L.L.C. Announces 100% Employee...( VANCOUVER Wash. March 30 /- Becoming ...),Health

VANCOUVER, Wash., March 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Becoming the first long term care company in the United States to become 100% employee owned, Evergreen Healthcare and its affiliates today announced the completion of their transition from private ownership to being 100% owned by an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) Trust.

"We feel that this is the highest benefit we can provide for our devoted employees who, we hope, will have long, fulfilling careers with Evergreen Healthcare," said Anne Nipp, CEO of EHC Management, L.L.C. "By offering this ESOP to our employees, we are doing our part to support hard working healthcare professionals in these challenging economic times, and simultaneously better serve our residents and their families by retaining highly skilled care givers."

Evergreen Healthcare and its affiliates have been privately owned and operated since 1997. The company's founder, Andy Martini, had the vision to grow a responsible company that, at its heart, had core values and strong, stable management personnel and practices dedicated to providing quality services to the elderly.

The transfer of ownership to those who have helped build the company enables the company to make a seamless transition, with the same people and systems in place. Minimized disruption will assure ongoing continuity and quality for its residents and their families.

"It's exciting to be part of something groundbreaking...to be part of a company that is committed to us, its employees. That, in turn, makes all of us feel more committed because now it's our company," said Pat Dahlstrom, Director of Food and Nutrition Services and a ten-year employee of the company.

Nipp further stated, "With the national attention on healthcare, we are committed to the dedicated and trained professionals working in our communities across seven states and want them to feel this in a tangible way."