Tupelo, MS — (March 1, 2025) Methodist Senior Services is pleased to announce that Christie White Vance has been selected to serve as the new President and Chief Executive Officer for Methodist Senior Services in Tupelo, Mississippi.
Vance has served in the Methodist Senior Services (MSS) ministry for more than 25 years. She began as Manager of Accounting, was promoted to Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and most recently has served as the Vice President for Operations and Chief Operations Officer.
Prior to joining MSS, Vance was an accountant with Watkins Ward and Stafford, CPA, where she was involved in auditing MSS for four years. Vance has led the MSS financial services through several transitions during her tenure. She has been directly responsible for ensuring financial stability of the organization and for growing its mission of serving elders in Mississippi.
Under her leadership, Vance has been responsible for annual financial audits which have assured compliance with legal and regulatory requirements; have built credibility with MSS stakeholders; have managed financial risks; and have maintained transparency in financial operations of the organization.
Vance’s financial office team is noted for its long-tenured and committed staff. In addition to forging new long-term financing arrangements, software and networking upgrades, additional bond financing, and sustainable HUD programs.
As COO, Vance has led interdisciplinary teams to expand care services by introducing therapy programming in the Assisted Living neighborhoods and on-site Nurse Practitioner availability across all campuses. She also initiated the restructuring of the MSS Public Relations department to incorporate full-service sales and marketing support—efforts that have been instrumental in surpassing pre-pandemic occupancy numbers.
“As Director of Accounting and later as CFO, my mission was to ensure our organization had the financial resources to fulfill our commitment to serving older adults in the spirit of Christian love,” stated Ms. Vance. “As COO, I had the privilege of leading our organization through one of the most challenging periods in senior living—the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, my focus was on safeguarding the well-being of our elders and team members while ensuring that our mission remained at the forefront.”
A native of Calhoun County, Vance received her Bachelor of Accountancy from the University of Mississippi. She is married to Cory Vance, and they have two daughters, Abby and Olivia. She serves on the Calhoun County School Board, College Hill Baptist Church finance committee, and New Century Club. She also serves on the LeadingAge Southeast Policy Committee and the MS Early Childhood Investment Council. In her spare time, Christie enjoys nature, reading, sports and spending time with her family.
“Now, as CEO, I am honored to lead this incredible organization into the future, building on our legacy of compassion, innovation, and service to ensure that every Mississippi elder we touch experiences dignity, purpose, and the highest quality of care,” said Vance.
Methodist Senior Services, a leading provider of housing and services to older adults in Mississippi for over 60 years, has one mission: to serve older adults in the spirit of Christian love. The organization serves more than 1,500 elders who live on its twelve campuses and are served by approximately 1,000 employees and 1,600 volunteers. It provides apartments for active older adults, personal care/assisted living apartments and skilled nursing care options, with campuses that range from almost the Tennessee line to the Gulf of Mexico. For more information concerning MSS or any of its communities, visit www.mss.org.
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