New Marion Manor administrator loves her job
"Marion is a nice community. I'm happy to be here."
This was Kara Bell's first statement when interviewed. She is the new administrator at Marion Manor.
With dark hair and eyes, the tall, attractive woman has a commanding presence and a love for people. She has 10 years of experience in her profession.
"I love what I do," she said. "I have a great passion for the elderly."
She accepted the job at Marion Manor for several reasons. One was the size of the facility. It has 72 beds.
Her previous job was in a 300-bed facility in Kansas City.
"I got tired," she said. "I wanted to work to live, not live to work."
She also was impressed with the long tenure of key personnel at Marion Manor, indicating a well-run facility. She said the average stay of department heads has been 15 years.
The move to Marion brought her closer to her parents, Scotty and Janet Bell, who live on a farm west of Salina and operate Scotty's Café in Salina.
She began working at the café with her parents at 10 years of age.
"That experience gave me my foundation for customer service," she said. "Good service is the key to success in this occupation."
After graduating from Ell Saline High School at Brookville, Bell obtained degrees in sociology and criminal justice from Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina.
She was first employed as a police officer in Salina, a job she held for five years, graduating from Kansas Police Academy. She has been a member of Missouri National Guard since 1982.
Bell's first administrative job was at Lamar, Mo. She also served homes in Springfield, Mo., Kansas City, Mo., and Springfield, Ohio. Her leadership at several of those facilities led to deficiency-free surveys.
She took over at Marion Manor on Jan. 14.
Her boyfriend, Darrell Fiske, also lives in Marion. He retired from the Salina Police Department a year ago after serving as an officer for 23 years.
Fiske's daughter Vanessa, 18, is a senior at Salina's South High School. His son Aaron, 20, is a student at Kansas State University of Salina.
Bell has no children but enjoys her two nieces and two nephews. She has three sisters and a brother.
