Mike began his career in the construction industry in 1988 when Wineteer, Inc. opened its doors to serve the residential remodeling marketplace. As is typical, he started as a one-man operation and evolved his business into a full-service design and remodel organization. Wineteer’s successful 30-year track record speaks to Mike’s integrity and professionalism, and is the foundation on which LifeWise Renovations was built.
Mike is a member in good standing of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) and holds three certifications awarded through his participation and graduation from the following courses: Master Certified Remodeler (MCR), Certified Kitchen and Bath Remodeler (CKBR) and Green Certified Professional (GCP). As a member of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), he holds the Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) designation. In order to maintain his business license for Kansas City, MO, and Johnson County, KS, municipalities, he participates in annual continuing education courses covering a variety of management and technical areas.
Katheen (Kathy) Dodd, RN, BSN, MHA, is the Founder and Principal of LifeWise Renovations, and is one of the nation's most experienced and accomplished home care industry executives. LifeWise Renovations is a premiere aging-in-place and universal design remodeling firm that creates functional homes designed for anyone, regardless of age or ability by using a unique, medical-based model.
Prior to founding LifeWise Renovations, Kathy founded The Corridor Group in 1989, and served until 2012 as the Chief Executive Officer of The Corridor Group, Inc. (TCG), Corridor Media and Corridor International (CI), building all organizations from start-up to multi-million dollar enterprises. In 2013, after the sale of the organization to Health Edge Investment Partners, she became Chairman Emeritus and Principal of Corridor Group Holdings, LLC.
Over the past 30 years, Kathy has held key executive positions with businesses focused on the management and delivery of home care in the United States and abroad. Due to her focus on “doing the right things right,” she led through three economic downturns and numerous regulatory and reimbursement challenges, while managing a highly respected consulting, executive search, eLearning and products firm. Her increased interest in the development of international home care services culminated with the founding of CI in 1999. Through CI, Kathy formed a joint venture relationship with one of Turkey’s largest companies to develop and deliver home care services. Through her guidance, CI revolutionized the delivery of home care in the country of Turkey, and is now the country’s largest provider of home care services.
Kathy has been a member of several Private and Non-Profit Boards including serving on multiple committees as the Chairman of the Board, Vice-Chairman, Chairman of Marketing and Communications, Academic Affairs and Technology committees; Board Secretary of Park University; and a member of CHAP’s Finance committee. She currently serves as a Board member for Corridor Group Holdings, Chairman of LifeWise Renovations, Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP) (past chair), and is a Trustee for Park University. Kathy also plays an Advisory Board role and mentorship roles for numerous organizations including Manzil Health Care Services of the UAE, Spark Labs, and is the current Chairman of MorLuv Scrubs Advisory Board.
Kathy has received numerous awards and recognitions over her career including Top 25 Under 25 Small Business, Kansas City Business Journal Top Area Women-Owned Businesses, Kansas City Business Journal Up and Comers Award, Women Who Mean Business Award, Speaking of Women‘s Health Award, Inc. 500’s Fastest Growing Companies, Ingram’s Magazine Top 25 Fastest Growing Companies, and Chamber of Commerce Top 10 Small Businesses of the Year.
Jeff brings over 30 years knowledge to assist our team in exceeding customer expectations. Jeff is expert in start-up operations, management, database development and systems engineering, and provides insight into innovative technology to meet the growing market demand for LifeWise Renovations’ services.
Most recently, Jeff was a project coordinator for Lexmark Enterprise Software (formerly Perceptive Software), a global technology leader, serving as the liaison to the Lexmark project managers, architects, and builders to ensure project deliverables were met on a timely basis. An entrepreneur by heart, he has founded New Grass Bison Co., which focuses on healthy, non-invasive farming techniques to provide high quality bison meat and MapNotes, which provides specialty maps for military professionals, civil authorities, and outdoor enthusiasts. He has also served in managerial roles for leading companies including Group EM3, Apple, and MacSource.
Jeff graduated from Missouri Western State College with a Bachelor of Arts degree and has proudly served in the Army National Guard.
Katy Dodd has been part of the LifeWise Renovations team since 2009. As a residential renovation company specializing in accessibility, LifeWise relies on Katy to engage with payers challenged with finding quality providers to keep their members at home and out of institutional care.
Katy earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Economics from Rockhurst University and serves on the LifeWise Renovations Advisory Board to provide recommendations for strategic business development. She earned her Certified Aging-In-Place Specialist (CAPS) designation in 2010, served as an Executive Board Member with Case Management Society of America in Kansas City and a council member on the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC), First Suburbs Coalition. Currently, Katy serves on the board for a local non-profit, The Grooming Project.
Debbie Hartzler, OTR/L, is a graduate of The Ohio State University and has practiced occupational therapy in the Kansas City area since 1981. Specializing in adult and geriatric rehabilitation, she has experience working in acute care, skilled care, rehabilitation, and outpatient settings.
Debbie is licensed in both Kansas and Missouri, with over 30 years of experience as a supervisor and educator. She has specialized in home modifications since 2009 and received her Certified Aging in Place (CAPS) certification in 2012.
Theresa comes to LifeWise Renovations as a professional office manager with over 25 years of experience in the healthcare industry. She successfully manages the daily operations of a demanding and fast-paced office. Her dedication and strong administrative skills were developed in a similar capacity during her long tenure at The Corridor Group.
Theresa's proactive and flexible approach has led her to being the go-to person for anything related to the smooth running of an office. She excels in relationship-building and customer service with her strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
Bruce has lived in the KC metro area since graduating from the University of Central Missouri with a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration – Major in Accounting in 1983. He has over 20 years’ experience managing all areas of the finance and accounting functions for businesses in a variety of industries, and has also maintained a part-time accounting and consulting business for the past several years. Bruce excels at financial & business analysis, financial reporting, and budgeting & forecasting. Bruce began full-time employment as Director of Finance with Lifewise Renovations in 2016 after assisting on a part-time consulting basis since 2013. In addition to his BSBA, Bruce holds a CPA certificate from the State of Missouri.
Nick oversees all sales, design, production and construction of Wineteer’s residential and commercial remodeling projects. Nick studied fine arts and design at Emporia State University and has been working in the remodeling industry since 1991. He has extensive experience designing and building remodel projects, and specializes in using unique designs in his projects. He has worked in the remodeling industry as a project manager and owner, facilitating kitchen, bath and room addition projects.
Nick has worked to develop many of Lifewise Renovations’ adaptable home modifications along with systems to help individuals live independently in the homes they love. His motivation is to develop accessible living environments that appeal to all generations. He has completed his CAPS (Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist) certification administered through the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and has been working in the aging in place market for several years.
With over 20 years in the construction industry, Chris brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and leadership to the LifeWise Renovations' Team. As Vice President of Strategic Development, Chris leads the charge in growing LifeWise Renovations’ unique approach to the construction industry.
Chris grew up in Columbia, Missouri where he graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing. His professional career began in the glass industry where he managed installations, sales, and marketing. Chris later moved on to the commercial insulation industry, then spent 14 years in the residential and commercial roofing, siding, stucco, and window industry developing and managing large sales teams.
In addition to work at LifeWise Renovations, Chris currently serves as an active board member for Friends of Sacred Structures (FOSS), an organization dedicated to helping preserve old churches.
LifeWise Renovations was founded in 2008 as an extension of an existing family business, Wineteer Construction. While Wineteer still exists today as a residential and commercial remodeling firm, LifeWise is our true passion. Our team members have extensive knowledge and background in both healthcare and construction. This dynamic has allowed us to build a truly spectacular organization with a dedicated team of professionals.
As our population continues to grow and age, the need for wrap around service and supports will dramatically increase. Staying at home is not only cheaper, but people remain happier. If the home is not suitable to the needs of an individual, they will not be able to remain there long term. While home modifications are a small piece of the big pie, the need for knowledgeable, reliable, and quality contractors is huge.
We are committed to helping people remain at home safely and independently through innovative approaches in functional modifications. We pride ourselves on our commitment to this mission.