Don brings more than forty years of engineering, maintenance, and service‑driven leadership to Modena Cary, including two decades in the United States Submarine Service and seven years in senior living. The opportunity to help build a new community from the ground up is what first drew him here, and that sense of purpose continues to guide his work.

As Director of Facilities, Don finds genuine joy in the daily interactions he shares with residents and staff. He is committed to creating a community that feels welcoming, uplifting, and deeply connected. Along with overseeing housekeeping and maintenance, he leads the Men’s Group, a role that allows him to build meaningful relationships and support residents in ways that feel personal and heartfelt. His approach is shaped by caring for his mother during the last five years of her life, an experience that showed him how engagement, activity, and support can transform the aging process. That understanding fuels his belief that, for many residents, the team becomes family—and that responsibility inspires him every day.

Don’s professional journey reflects more than four decades of hands‑on leadership, beginning with twenty years in the United States Submarine Service—a period he fondly calls his “20‑year educational experience.” After retiring from the Navy, he spent eighteen years as Facilities Coordinator for Chartway Federal and later contributed his expertise to Virginia Wesleyan University and Westminster Canterbury on the Chesapeake Bay. Each chapter strengthened the skills and values he brings to Modena Cary.

Outside of work, Don enjoys restoring classic cars—currently finishing a 1960 Mercury Comet and beginning a 1970 Karmann Ghia convertible. He loves to cook and spent two years studying culinary arts in La Maddalena, Italy; his world‑renowned chili is a resident favorite. Don also serves as President of the Board of Directors for the Toby’s Dream Foundation, a children’s charity he has supported for more than 20 years. His ideal getaway is the Florida Keys, and he spends much of his free time gardening—especially growing Carolina Reaper peppers—relaxing at the lake, and catching live local music whenever he can.

Don lives in Fuquay with his fiancée, Robin, and their four‑legged “terror,” Stella. He has two grown daughters, one son, and six grandchildren—five of them boys.