Dockerty Health Care Services is expanding its reach from Michigan to Wisconsin, focusing on assisted living and memory care services. The family-owned company, based in Berrien Springs, Michigan, currently operates 12 campuses and is ranked 130 on the Argentum 150 list for 2026, up from 142 in 2025. CEO Tim Dockerty focuses on growing in rural markets without a specific portfolio size in mind.
Dockerty emphasizes the importance of building a strong reputation in these markets. “If you develop a great reputation, you’re going to probably perform well for a long time,” he told Senior Housing News. “It’s also how we started, so it’s the model that we know.” The company avoids acquiring properties with poor reputations, as Dockerty notes, “Reputation, both good and bad, becomes very strong and very recognizable in a small community, and so maintaining a good reputation in each of those communities is really valuable to us. It’s very difficult to change a bad reputation.”
With an 88% occupancy rate across its campuses, Dockerty Health Care Services prioritizes staff retention to maintain its reputation. The company aims to keep executive directors for 10 to 15 years, allowing them to become integral to their communities. “If you have high turnover in any positions, let alone your executive director, it’s very hard to have a high standard work in that building,” Dockerty said.
To support its staff, the company maintains constant communication with community leaders and ensures ownership accessibility. “If they need help from one of the owners, such as myself or my brother, we can step in and help,” Dockerty said. “They can just pick up the phone and call us, as opposed to having layers of bureaucracy that’s trying to make decisions.” This approach has supported the company’s growth since 2001, particularly in small communities where personal connections are key.
