As Vice President, Jesse Wescott is responsible for overseeing all the day to day operations at The Towers. This includes our front desk operations, housekeeping, dining services, maintenance, grounds, physical plant mechanics as well as special projects. “Since joining the team in 2018 it has been wonderful getting to know this community and its rich history of serving our seniors. Being able to be at the forefront of so many positive enhancements has truly been a gift at this stage of my career,” Jesse says. Holding dual degrees in Management and Finance, as well as almost a decade’s worth of experience in caring for seniors of diverse backgrounds has engrained in Jesse an eye for detail and a zest for continuous improvement that helps bring his leadership forward every day. After being awarded with the CALA Young Leader of the Year Award in 2016, Jesse’s passion for creating the best living environment for seniors was further ignited and he is looking forward to many fruitful years of success here at The Towers. Being a leader in this field often means being on call 24 hours a day, but when Jesse is not physically in the building he loves spending time with his beautiful wife and daughter at home, with their dog, Napa. When they aren’t looking he does his best to sneak away to drive his Mustang or spend time in his wood workshop!

John Heyder is the Chief Financial Officer at The Towers. He has responsibility for all financial and leasing activities at The Towers; including lease signing, HUD certifications and re-certifications, resident billing and collections, banking activity as well as all business insurance and audit oversight. John is a Certified Public Accountant as well as a HUD Certified Occupancy Specialist and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting from Pace University as well as a Masters of Business Administration in Marketing from Sacred Heart University. John spent more than ten years as a volunteer coach and treasurer for softball, basketball and volleyball sports programs at Trumbull High School. Today, John spends his leisure time with his wife, four daughters, two son-in-laws and their adorable dog, Riley.

Jennifer Bayer runs The Towers Foundation, the supporting organization of The Towers. While just at The Towers for three years, Jennifer has been a Jewish Communal Professional for nearly ten. “We have a remarkable community. I love helping donors realize the impact they want to make through our multitude of meaningful and innovative initiatives. Our donors not only make people’s lives better, but actually extend happy and healthy years lived. This is so rewarding and fulfilling.” Jennifer holds a BA from Oberlin College and MA and Ed.M. degrees from Columbia University. Jennifer is an active member of New Haven’s Jewish Federation and a member of the Jewish Foundation’s Women of Vision Society. She loves spending time with her husband Rob and sons, Noah and Sammy.

Glenn Gordon is the Director of Human Resources and Information Technology. Glenn would say that his role at The Towers is “taking care of people who take care of people.” For the past two years, he has been focused on finding individuals who are excellent at their roles, but make up a team who is accomplishing one goal—helping people to live their best lives. Glenn is a Senior Certified Professional with the Society For Human Resource Management, and he has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Connecticut. While he is constantly behind the scenes, working on technology connections for The Towers team, his best time is spent making personal connections with Towers residents, and when he needs a break, you will find him sitting at a piano.

With more than a decade of experience working under the Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders and as a geriatric social services professional, Cesar Silverio has found happiness advocating to help elders age in place and in-community. He has collaborated with many local agencies and the Department of Social Services to help more than 500 elders remain where they want to live.

When the pandemic began, Cesar helped seniors access food and other goods during one of the most challenging times. In his previous role as a Director of Business Development, he helped his organization by going out into the field to help grieving seniors. Using protective equipment, he conducted assessments and went to patients’ homes when many social workers could not go out due to state regulations during the pandemic. His passion for elder care has allowed him to continue to provide wellness in the community and beyond.

Here at The Towers, Cesar is a powerful force and uses positive attitudes, empathy, and tireless energy to encourage people around him to succeed. Cesar has a Master of Business and Public Policy and a Bachelor’s in Social Work and Sociology. He specializes in Geriatric Social Services and is responsible for working alongside the Social Services professionals and Resident Services Coordinators at The Towers.

Cesar is inspired daily by his faith. He is a youth pastor with his wife at the Church of the Nazarene in Bridgeport, where they serve with Tip of the Spear Ministry, a youth group of over 60 youngsters.

Nicole Merritt is the Executive Coordinator to the Chief Executive Officer and Director of Development and Community Relations. She has been working at The Towers for thirteen years starting out in the Resident Services Department. Nicole earned her Bachelor and Master degrees in the area of Social Work from Southern CT State University. “Our seniors have done so much for us in their lifetime, it is my honor to now provide care and encouragement to them at The Towers.” Nicole lives in East Haven with her husband of twenty-four years and their two sons. She sits on the Board of Commissioners for East Haven’s Counseling and Community Services Department. In her spare time, she loves to spend time with family, exercise and work on sewing and craft projects.