Vision and Leadership: Meet Our New Director of Sales and Marketing

Sales and marketing are essential to all businesses in all industries. It’s the way we tell people how our business can help them. The Admiral at the Lake’s sales and marketing team gained a new leader in June when Katie O’Brien came on board as the director.  She brings more than 20 years’ experience in integrated marketing and sales strategy plus a background in community development.

Getting to Know Katie

To get to know Katie, we started at the beginning. Katie grew up on the bluffs of the Mississippi River in Keokuk, Iowa. Raised in a large family, she is the youngest of six children. This, in part, explains her competitive nature and love of sports, including playing golf and tennis and cheering for her favorite football teams, the Chicago Bears and Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish.

While Katie has traveled extensively, she sees the Midwest as home and feels lucky that most of her family lives close in the Midwest cities of Indianapolis, Madison, Toledo and Chicago; this allows the family to have a close relationship and spend time together.

She went to college in Indiana where she graduated from the University of Notre Dame and studied art and architecture, including spending a year in Rome, Italy. Fulfilling a long-time goal, Katie received her MBA in 2014. Recently, she received a certificate in digital marketing from the University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business.

Making Chicago Home

The Chicagoland area has been home for Katie for the past nine years. “Growing up on the Mississippi River, I love being near the water. It fills my spirit,” Katie said. “Being close to Lake Michigan is one of my favorite things about Chicago.”

She lives in Oak Park and enjoys spending time with her daughter Colleen and two-year-old granddaughter Mila.

She added, “I like being part of a vibrant city filled with people from different backgrounds and cultures. Chicago is a big city but has a small-town friendliness. We have taken advantage of so many of the things that make Chicago great. We love Millennium Park, the Riverwalk and catching live music, sporting events, and festivals whenever we can. We try to get to the beach or go boating as often as possible.”

Fireworks Fanatic

A fact that many may not know about Katie is she is an avid fireworks lover. She enjoys the beauty, creativity and energy of the pyrotechnics and has seen firework shows in a number of cities. She recently got the chance to view a fireworks show from the 14th floor at The Admiral at the Lake.

“The fireworks in my hometown are fantastic. My childhood home is right next to the park and provided us with front-row seats. On July 4th, watching fireworks at The Admiral, it was the same. We had front-row seats to a fabulous display by our neighbor, the Chicago Cycle and Saddle Club.  Everyone was cheering and clapping,” she said.

Related: Spending time with family at The Admiral at the Lake >>

A Passion for Healthcare 

Katie has been in the sales and marketing field for the past 20 years. Eight of those years have been spent in the healthcare field working along the continuum of care from a skilled nursing and rehab center to a children’s clinic. She has been an advocate for health care reform in recent roles in business development and as the executive director for the Chamber of Commerce.

Vision and Leadership at The Admiral

What attracted Katie to become the director of sales and marketing at The Admiral at the Lake can be summed up in two words: “Vision and leadership,” Katie explains. “The leadership team has a vision of the community based on values that I greatly respect. The Admiral is a beautiful new building in a great Chicago neighborhood with a magnificent view of Lake Michigan, but it is the people who make the biggest impact. Everyone genuinely cares. We are making a difference in people’s lives,” she said.

The Admiral was a perfect place to blend Katie’s passion for marketing, branding and community development. As director of sales and marketing at The Admiral, Katie leads the team in deploying sales strategy and implementing integrated marketing plans, including a targeted digital marketing campaign. The staff team works alongside the Resident Marketing Committee with a focus on increasing market awareness of The Admiral.

So far, her favorite thing about The Admiral is the people. “There’s a wonderful sense of community here; the residents and staff are welcoming and highly engaged. It’s a collaborative team and a big plus is the beautiful location; I get to see the lake every day,” she said.

Thinking of Moving to The Admiral?

If you’re thinking of moving to The Admiral, Katie suggests the Be Our Guest Program. “The Be Our Guest program should be taken advantage of to get the full experience,” Katie explained. “You get the chance to stay in one of our apartments, meet the residents and staff, and get the whole experience before you commit.”

Stay two or three nights and get to know The Admiral inside and out by booking your Be Our Guest stay. Book your stay with us by clicking the button below. We look forward to meeting you!