Benchmark Senior Living Announces Promotion of Kris Martel to Chief Human Resources Officer
August 17, 2022
WALTHAM, MA—Benchmark Senior Living, the largest senior housing provider in New England, announced earlier this week that Kris Martel of North Reading, Massachusetts, has been promoted to chief human resources officer—the company’s first in its 25-year history.
As chief human resources officer and a member of Benchmark’s senior leadership team, Martel will continue to focus on strategic investments in recruitment and retention and company culture programs, including Benchmark’s equity and inclusion initiative.
“Kris has done an excellent job growing our workforce with dedicated, skilled associates who are called to care for our residents, while also continuing to boost our associate retention,” said Tom Grape, founder, chairman and CEO of Benchmark. “Our associates are central to everything we do at Benchmark, because the best experiences are only given by those who feel fulfilled—so we are excited to have her wisdom be part of our executive team’s decision-making.”
Martel joined Benchmark as vice president of human resources in October 2021. During her time at Benchmark, she spearheaded the largest single investment in wages in company history, including establishing a Benchmark minimum wage for all frontline associates and an increased minimum wage for the company’s resident care associates who provide direct resident care. In addition, she expanded the breadth of mental health services offered to associates.
Before joining Benchmark, Martel served as vice president of human resources at Point 32 Health (formerly Tufts Health Plan), where she implemented effective talent management and continuous change initiatives that instilled employee trust. She holds a master’s in business administration from Bentley University.
“Throughout Benchmark’s history, they’ve continually been recognized as a top workplace locally and nationally,” said Martel. “In my new role, I look forward to raising the bar even higher for all of our associates, so that we can continue to provide the best care and experiences for our residents.”
