Barrette exits and Bazar takes over at Jewish Seniors Agency

Paul Barrette

Susan Bazar

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As 2015 came to a close, the Jewish Seniors Agency of Rhode Island bid farewell to Executive Director Paul Barrette.   

Barrette arrived at the JSA in 2005 after an enviable career in hospital administration.  Heralded for his superlative operational and managerial skills, Barrette entered the community with great ease and commitment.  Forever present at the Phyllis Siperstein Tamarisk Assisted Living Residence, Shalom housing communities and the To Life Adult Day Center, Barrette was well known to residents, clients, staff, partner agencies and the community at large.  

Judge Richard Licht, president of the JSA board at the time of Barrette’s engagement, said, “Paul was originally hired to be an interim executive director but we quickly realized he had the requisite skills to lead the agency into the future, and he certainly out-performed our expectations.”  

Current Board President Jeff Padwa said, “Paul’s financial acumen resulted in agency-wide efficiencies.  Perhaps most notable was his recent role in renegotiating Tamarisk’s financing with Washington Trust.” 

Jewish Alliance CEO Jeffrey Savit called Barrett “a staunch senior advocate whose leadership I admired. Paul‘s employee-centric management philosophy also served the agency well.”

Barrette plans to provide health-care consulting services in the future.  As spring approaches, the longtime East Bay resident will no doubt also be cruising Narragansett Bay and cheering at his grandsons’ basketball games. 

At the start of 2016, Susan Bazar, of East Greenwich, became the JSA’s new executive director.  Bazar, well known to the agency as a member of the board of trustees and a past president, switched gears from lay leader to administrator.  

“I am delighted to serve JSA in this [new] capacity,” she said. “With the engagement of seasoned staff, we are assessing resident/constituency needs, evaluating programs and eyeing opportunities for optimizing collaborations.  With an ever-growing senior demographic, we want to be sure our housing options and services are relevant. 

“Through the Louis and Goldie Chester Full Plate Kosher Food Pantry, we are feeding those most vulnerable.  Through our Jewish Eldercare of RI [JERI] outreach program, we are bringing Jewish tradition and values to those needing this connection. Identifying and serving these groups is at the core of the agency, and, though done well, must continue to be evaluated.”

President Jeff Padwa states, “Susan’s depth of commitment to JSA [and] senior advocacy, and longstanding involvement in other Rhode Island health-care not-for-profits, makes her uniquely qualified to serve as executive director.  Her vision is balanced by her ability to identify and execute strategy.” 

Savit said, “I am so thrilled that Susan Bazar is now leading JSA.  Susan is a dear friend whose experience, commitment, warmth and passion will so strongly benefit not only JSA, but our entire Jewish community.” 

Since January, Bazar has immersed herself in a myriad of senior agencies statewide to listen, learn and serve as a JSA ambassador.  She encourages inquiries, at sbazar@jsari.org.