Q&A:

Nonprofit leader: ‘We believe this program will save lives’

Favil West, co-founder and president of the Foundation Assisting Seniors, poses in the charity’s equipment storage warehouse in Sun City Anthem Tuesday, March 10, 2015. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to improving the quality of life for seniors.

Favil West promised himself that when he retired, he would give back to the community as much as he could. And when the former fighter pilot stopped working for himself and his family, he started working for others. West is co-founder and president of the Foundation Assisting Seniors, a nonprofit organization that provides help to senior citizens in need.

What has made the Foundation Assisting Seniors successful over the past 13 years?

Favil West

Favil West, co-founder and president of the Foundation Assisting Seniors, poses in the charity's equipment storage warehouse in Sun City Anthem Tuesday, March 10, 2015. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to improving the quality of life for seniors. Launch slideshow »

The commitment by the founders, trustees and volunteers to provide services that enable seniors to live and remain safe in their homes as long as possible. All of these volunteers receive no compensation, so we are truly grateful for their commitment to giving back to our community.

What is the HowRU Program?

Over the past several years, in just one of our senior communities, more than 35 seniors died and went undiscovered for extended periods of time (from three days to six weeks.) The HowRU Program provides a check-in system to minimize the risk of seniors in need of immediate assistance being unable to contact help. Foundation volunteers call each person who signs up for the program every day at a time (or times) they specify. The operator announces, “This is the HowRU operator, how are you? If you are OK, press 1. If you need help, call 9-1-1.” Then, if there is no answer, 15 minutes later, the call is repeated. If there is still no answer, a call is made to the person’s first emergency contact. If that is not answered, a call is made to the second emergency contact. If there is no answer, our monitor calls 9-1-1. We believe this program will save lives in the long run.

You’ve received numerous awards for your work with the senior community. What has been your greatest achievement thus far?

Building the Foundation Assisting Seniors into a viable organization that has provided more than 75,000 senior assists in its 14 years of operation.

What is the most challenging part of your job?

The Foundation Assisting Seniors does not pay salaries to people who assist our clients and community. We rely on our volunteer force of more than 100 senior peers to serve our clients. The real challenge is keeping the volunteers motivated.

What has been the most rewarding part of your job?

Seeing, in real time, the appreciation for the assistance we provide. The smiling faces, the thank-you emails and letters, telephone calls and one-on-one conversations with those we have helped are icing on the cake.

What do you do after work?

Play golf, answer emails, read, play bridge and go out with friends.

Describe your management style.

Looking back over my working years, I’ve had to use different styles to suit the line of work.

As a developer/general contractor who owned my own company, I listened to all proposals made by staff, then made a decision. You might call that the autocratic, dictatorial or authoritative style, which I found very effective when running a small corporation.

As a retired airline pilot and former union leader, consensus of the crew was the way to have a safe and trouble-free flight.

As a fighter pilot, I made decisions quickly and efficiently, no discussion, no feedback — purely dictatorial.

As the president of the Foundation Assisting Seniors, I listen carefully to all opinions and recommendations, and then require a vote. Working with an all-volunteer group of trustees and associates requires more than consensus; it requires obtaining a hard commitment. Depending on the issue, I may use several management styles but, in the case of working with volunteers, the style required is more leadership than management.

Where do you see yourself and your company in 10 years?

Being realistic, at my age, 10 years is a long time. But I do expect to continue to develop programs that serve the senior community. We expect to continue our expansion in the Las Vegas Valley, California and the West, effectively multiplying our services exponentially.

What is your dream job, outside of your current field?

I’ve already held my dream job — being an F-105 combat fighter pilot. I’m a bit beyond that now, as I don’t think I could pull the G’s I once was able to.

Whom do you admire and why?

My wife, Pat. After more than 54 years of marriage, she remains a beautiful lady, organized and focused.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

People who make promises and don’t keep them.

What is something that people might not know about you?

I don’t watch TV.

Anything else you want to tell us?

Last year, the foundation responded to more than 10,000 requests for assistance services, including nonmedical health assistance, limited home-maintenance assistance, loans of mobility equipment and funding for senior support groups. As it enters its 14th year of service to the senior community, the foundation will continue its development and funding of new services while maintaining and improving its existing services to ensure the safety, security and independence of the senior community.

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