Michael Kotzen_ Pioneering a New Standard in Home- and Community-Based Care.pdf

Among them is Michael Kotzen, President and CEO of Amivie, who has dedicated his career to creating systems that place people at the center.

1. Michael Kotzen: Pioneering a New Standard in
Home- and Community-Based Care

Think about a loved one who wants to live at home, surrounded by family and
familiar places, but struggles to manage daily life alone. Without the right
support, simple routines can become overwhelming, families often feel exhausted
trying to balance care with their own responsibilities, and independence slowly
fades away. This is why home- and community-based care is so important-it
allows people to remain in their own homes, stay connected to their
communities, and live with dignity, while families gain peace of mind knowing
their loved ones are cared for.
Carrying this vision forward are leaders who see beyond business and focus on
people, building organizations rooted in compassion, skilled caregiving, and
strong relationships. Among them is Michael Kotzen, President and CEO of

2. Amivie, who has dedicated his career to creating systems that place people at the
center.
At Amivie, he leads with a focus on helping individuals live independently while
ensuring caregivers and families feel supported. His responsibilities include
setting the company’s strategic direction, overseeing operations, shaping its
culture, and guiding mergers and acquisitions—carefully bringing new businesses
into the Amivie family while preserving their legacy.
Under his leadership, Amivie has grown from serving just a few hundred clients
to supporting over 8,000 individuals across six states with a dedicated workforce
of more than 8,000 caregivers. Revenues are approaching $300M, and the
company has successfully completed 46 acquisitions, each one strengthening its
ability to deliver high-quality care.
Achieving national accreditations through CHAP (Community Health
Accreditation Partner) and CARF (Commission on Accreditation of
Rehabilitation Facilities) further reflects Michael Kotzen commitment to quality,
showing that Amivie consistently sets standards higher than industry
requirements. These milestones highlight how his leadership has turned vision
into reality, blending operational expertise with a deep commitment to
relationships and making Amivie a growing business and a trusted name in
compassionate care that transforms the organization and the lives it touches.
Metric Value

3. Initial Scale ~300 clients and caregivers
Current Client Base 8,000+ clients across six states
Revenue Nearly $300 million
Team Size ~8,000 members
Mergers & Acquisitions 46 businesses integrated into Amivie
From Finance to Healthcare

4. Michael Kotzen began his career in administrative and finance roles at Virtua
Health, a major hospital system in Southern New Jersey. Over the next 25 years,
he steadily advanced through leadership positions and played an important role
in transforming the organization from a traditional hospital system into an
integrated delivery network that offered everything from preventive care to
post-acute services.
During the final seven years of his time at Virtua, Michael Kotzen served as Chief
Operating Officer, where he was responsible for overseeing strategy, operations,
and organizational culture. This role gave him broad experience in guiding
large-scale change while keeping people at the center of decision-making.
In 2017, he embraced a new chapter in his career and moved to North Carolina to
lead Community Based Care, which later grew and evolved into Amivie. What
attracted him most to the opportunity was the mission—helping people live their
fullest lives in their homes and communities.

5. While his professional journey prepared him for the responsibilities of leading
Amivie, it is Michael Kotzen personal belief in dignity, independence, and
compassionate care that continues to shape his leadership style. For him, success
is not only about growth but about ensuring that every individual supported by
Amivie is treated with respect and given the chance to thrive.
Helping People Live Their Fullest Lives

Amivie’s story began with a simple but powerful mission-to help people live their
fullest lives. Originally founded as Community-Based Care, the company was
built on the belief that individuals thrive best when they can remain in their
homes and communities rather than rely on institutional care. From the very
beginning, the focus was on building lasting relationships, understanding each
person’s unique goals, and providing personalized support through skilled
caregivers and clinical supervision.

6. The early days reinforced an important lesson: true impact comes from delivering
care and from doing so with compassion, dignity, and respect. These values
shaped Amivie’s direction and continue to guide its evolution, forming the
foundation of its mission.
Mission
●​Provide personalized support that helps people achieve their best health
and live life to the fullest.
●​Connect individuals with the right team of professionals in their own
communities.
●​Deliver care with compassion, dignity, and convenience.
Vision
●​Deliver exceptional home and community-based services across the
country.
●​Create meaningful and fulfilling careers for team members.
●​Honor the unique aspirations of every individual served.
Today, Amivie continues to expand while staying true to its purpose-supporting
independence, fostering dignity, and helping every individual thrive in the place
they call home.
Principles That Define Amivie’s Culture

7. Guided by its mission and vision, Amivie is anchored in a set of core values that
shape every decision, interaction, and relationship:
●​Collaboration: The team believes in working together through open
communication and shared goals, knowing that true success comes from
collective effort.
●​Inclusion: They create a safe and welcoming environment where every
person is respected for their inherent worth and dignity.
●​Compassion: They care deeply about the people they support, their
families, and their colleagues, always treating others with kindness and
understanding.
●​Safety: The health and safety of those they serve and their teammates
remain a top priority at all times.
●​Integrity: They are committed to doing the right thing for the right
reason, consistently and without compromise.

8. Together, these values form the heart of Amivie’s culture, ensuring that every
action reflects its purpose and its promise to the people it serves.
Voices That Reflect Amivie’s Impact
Amivie’s mission and values are not just words on paper-they come to life every
day through the dedication of its team members and the impact felt by the people
they serve.
One surveyor captured it well:
“The team members do an outstanding job of working together for both the
individual and the greater good of the organization and community served.”​
-CARF Surveyor
A client also shared heartfelt gratitude:
These reflections highlight how Amivie’s commitment to compassion, teamwork,
and excellence directly touches lives, reinforcing the values that guide the
organization every day.
Commitment to Excellence
Quality and compliance are at the heart of Amivie’s work. The company has built
strong systems and structures to ensure caregivers receive proper training and
mentorship. It also closely tracks performance through quality indicators, making
sure that every client receives the highest level of care possible.
Welcoming New Talent and Navigating Role Transitions

9. As Amivie continued to grow, its leadership structure needed to evolve as well.
This meant welcoming new external talent while also transitioning some existing
team members into different roles within the organization. The process was not
always easy-especially for those moving from long-standing, prominent positions
into new responsibilities. Yet many of them not only adapted but thrived,
demonstrating resilience and commitment. For Michael Kotzen, this experience
underscored the importance of transparency, open communication, and
supporting people through change-principles that continue to shape his
leadership approach today.
Growth also required strengthening the organization itself. As Amivie expanded,
its operations, systems, and processes evolved to meet the demands of a larger
scale. Despite these shifts, the company’s mission and culture have remained
constant. By keeping clients and caregivers at the center of every decision, Amivie
has built a strong foundation that enables it to thrive even during times of change
and challenge.

10. Relationships at the Heart of Care
At Amivie, relationships form the foundation of everything they do. The company
places a strong emphasis on building trust with caregivers, clients, and families
so that care is effective, personal, and supportive. This commitment extends to
case managers as well, with improved communication and responsiveness
making the process of securing services smoother and more reliable.
Mergers and acquisitions have also been central to Amivie’s growth, and here too
relationships remain a priority. The leadership team approaches every
partnership with deep respect, honoring the legacy of sellers while seamlessly
integrating their companies into the Amivie family. By doing so, they preserve
what has been built and expand the impact of that work to reach more people in
need.
The Growing Shift Toward Home-Based Care
Michael Kotzen sees a clear and accelerating trend in the healthcare industry
toward individuals receiving more care at home rather than in institutional
settings. This shift reflects client preference and broader changes in how
healthcare is being delivered nationwide. Amivie is well-positioned to adapt to
this transformation, with plans to expand its workforce and extend its reach to
meet the rising demand.
The company is also exploring new and innovative services designed to help
clients thrive in their homes, ensuring they maintain independence, dignity, and
a higher quality of life. By staying ahead of these trends, Amivie is preparing to
influence the future of care while remaining true to its mission of supporting
people in the communities where they live.
Recognition and Accreditations

11. Amivie’s impact is recognized by the people it serves and through formal industry
validations:
●​Client and Family Appreciation: Clients and their families regularly
acknowledge the team’s dedication and the positive impact of Amivie’s
services, making this the most meaningful recognition.
●​CHAP Accreditation: Amivie has achieved CHAP accreditation,
demonstrating adherence to nationally recognized standards of quality
and care.
●​CARF Accreditation: The company is also accredited by CARF, further
confirming the high standard of its service delivery.
●​Trusted Third-Party Validation: These accreditations serve as
independent validation, reinforcing Amivie’s commitment to consistent,
client-centered care.
Client Success Stories

12. One inspiring story comes from Amivie’s IDD services program, where a
determined individual recently secured a job at the new Whataburger in
Greensboro, North Carolina. After working hard to build his job readiness skills
at home and in the community, he was hired and invited to a special VIP event,
where he proudly received an award for Pride, Care, and Love-recognition of the
positive impact he is already making.
According to his mom, none of this would have been possible without the
amazing team of staff and support behind him, who have guided and encouraged
him every step of the way.
Another example comes from Rhode Island, where a branch manager connected
with the son of a veteran who had recently been under Amivie’s care before
passing away. The family expressed heartfelt gratitude for the support they
received, noting that even though their father was with Amivie for only a short
time, the care made a meaningful difference in his life and theirs. A thoughtful
card from the team after his passing further demonstrated Amivie’s genuine
compassion and commitment to the people they serve. Responsive Care Through Feedback Loops

13. Amivie actively gathers feedback from clients and their families, informally and
through structured surveys. One of the most important insights they received
highlighted the need for continuous and consistent communication with family
stakeholders. In response, the company implemented specific processes to ensure
updates were more frequent, clear, and timely. This change strengthened trust,
improved satisfaction, and reinforced Amivie’s commitment to delivering
personalized, attentive care. The Cornerstones of Effective Leadership
Michael Kotzen believes that the most important quality of a leader is embracing
a servant leadership mindset. He views integrity, authenticity, and humility as
the hallmarks of strong leadership. While challenges are inevitable in business,
he emphasizes that it is a leader’s consistency and transparency that guide an
organization through difficult times. For Michael Kotzen, people look to leaders

14. for their words and actions-and it is when actions align with words that trust is
earned and others are truly inspired.
Michael Kotzen’s 5 Impactful Business Mantras
1.​Put People First: Focus on supporting clients, families, and teams.
2.​Lead with Integrity: Align actions with words to build trust.
3.​Serve to Lead: Empower others and prioritize their needs.
4.​Pursue Excellence: Strive for quality, growth, and continuous
improvement.
5.​Build Strong Relationships: Foster trust, collaboration, and lasting
connections.