J. Justin Hutchens is the Executive Vice President, Senior Housing and Chief Investment Officer of Ventas, Inc. Hutchens joined Ventas in 2020 and is a member of the Ventas executive leadership team. Hutchens is responsible for the Company’s Senior Housing portfolio, which includes more than 800 properties that provide high-quality environments for over 70,000 seniors and represents approximately half of the Company’s net operating income (NOI). As Chief Investment Officer, Hutchens is also responsible for Ventas’s capital allocation strategy and execution across the enterprise.
Hutchens has more than 25 years of experience in REITs and senior housing, including serving in successful executive leadership positions in both publicly traded and private equity-backed investments. He joined Ventas from HC-One where he served as Chief Executive Officer. During his HC-One tenure, he led the company through a significant period of refinement and growth resulting in Britain’s largest residential and nursing care home operator with more than 300 communities in England, Scotland and Wales. Hutchens previously served as Chief Operating Officer of Emeritus, which was the largest operator of assisted living in the U.S. during his tenure; Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer and President of National Health Investors (NYSE: NHI); and President and Chief Investment Officer of HCP (now Healthpeak Properties, Inc.) (NYSE: PEAK). He began his career in senior care operations.
A frequent speaker on investment practices, company performance and senior housing and care operations, Hutchens was recognized in Forbes Magazine’s Top 20 ‘Most Powerful CEOs Age 40 and Under’ list for four consecutive years. Hutchens serves on the Boards of The National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC) and Atria Senior Living (ASLI). He holds executive certificates in measurement and control of organizational performance from the University of Michigan and strategy and innovation from MIT’s Sloan School of Management. Hutchens earned a B.S. in human services from the University of Northern Colorado and an M.S. in management from Regis University.