Management Team

Aviv's long tenured management team comprises of an exceptional group of professionals with relevant expertise in every discipline of the business, including healthcare real estate investing, skilled nursing and senior housing operations, finance and capital markets, asset management, accounting, credit and information systems. Many in Aviv's management team have been with Aviv for over 10 years, providing both consistency in customer services as well as significant depth of knowledge of both operators and properties.

Craig M. Bernfield 

Mr. Bernfield is the Chief Executive Officer and the Chairman of the Board of directors. Mr. Bernfield co-founded Aviv Healthcare Properties Limited Partnership in 2005. Prior to that, he was Chief Executive Officer and President of Karell Capital Ventures, Inc., or KCV, which he joined in 1990. KCV managed the entities that were combined in 2005 in connection with the formation of the predecessor partnership. Mr. Bernfield has been an investor in the nursing home industry for approximately 20 years and was the co-founder of some of the entities that were combined  in 2005. Mr. Bernfield received a J.D. degree from The University of Chicago Law School and a B.S. degree in Finance from the College of Business at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Steven J. Insoft

Mr. Insoft is the President and Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining the company in 2005, Mr. Insoft spent eight years as a Vice President and Senior Investment Officer of Nationwide Health Properties, Inc., a publicly-traded REIT. Before that, he was President and Chief Financial Officer of CMI Senior Housing & Healthcare, Inc.,  a privately-held nursing home and assisted living facility operations and development company, for seven years. Mr. Insoft received an M.B.A. from Columbia University and a B.S.E. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.

 

Samuel H. Kovitz 

Mr. Kovitz is the Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary. Prior to joining the company in 2005, Mr. Kovitz was   Vice President and General Counsel of KCV, the predecessor entity to Aviv, which he joined in 1996. From 1988 to 1996, he practiced law at Rudnick & Wolfe. Mr. Kovitz received a J.D. degree from Northwestern University and a B.S. degree in Accounting from the College of Business at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

 

Joshua J. Kochek

Mr. Kochek is the Senior Vice President, Investment. He is responsible for overseeing Aviv's asset management activities and coordinating new investment opportunities. Prior to joining Aviv in 2008, he served as Vice President of healthcare lending at Bank of America, where he specialized in senior housing and long-term care. Before that, he served in various healthcare lending capacities at LaSalle Bank and GE Healthcare Financial Services. Mr. Kochek received a Bachelor's   in Finance from the University of Kentucky.

 

Steven R. Levin

Mr. Levin is the Senior Vice President, Real Estate and joined Aviv in 2011. He has been involved in real estate development, design, and construction for over 32 years. Mr. Levin previously served as the President of Continental Wingate Development Company where he focused on development and construction activities, concentrating    on healthcare and senior housing. Mr. Levin attended the Boston Architectural Center.