By Tara Wiekeraad –

Edgebrook strives to create a homelike environment. Not only for our residents, but for our  staff as well. There have been numerous staff members from various departments that have left Edgebrook for other job opportunities only to ultimately come back, because the camaraderie and work family are absolutely second to none.

Recently, another Edgebrook alumni has chosen to come back home. Stacy Mertens has recently accepted the administrator position. 

Stacy has a long history in the healthcare field – specifically long-term care – being a nursing assistant all through high school. She became a nursing assistant and medication aide at Edgebrook in 2010 before accepting the role of Senior Living Manager at the assisted living in August 2017. 

During her time there, she was able to utilize scholarships offered by Edgebrook to go to school at Minnesota State University Moorhead. She then graduated magna cum laude with her bachelor of science in health services administration and obtained both her Minnesota and South Dakota long term care administrator licenses. She completed her administrator in training program – which is a program specific to the Good Samaritan Society – in Windom. Following her schooling, she accepted the position of administrator at Good Sam in Pipestone in August 2021. 

In December, Edgebrook’s prior administrator – Sydney Robertson resigned due to relocating. Stacy was then presented with the unique opportunity to manage both the Pipestone and Edgerton facilities, which she readily accepted. 

Stacy is a Leota native and has been married to her husband, CJ for 27 years. When she isn’t busy managing both facilities, Stacy enjoys spending time with her family including traveling to Arizona to visit her daughter Alexis and almost two-year-old granddaughter Londyn; hanging out in Edgerton with her one-year-old grandson Colter, son Austin and his girlfriend, Cynthia; and attending her fifth grade daughter Lilly’s basketball and volleyball games and dance competitions.