We continue our "5 Questions With" series, featuring the impressive list of industry leaders on Sage's 2026 Client Advisory Board.
Next up is Elwood “Tony” Conaway III Vice President of IT at BHI Senior Living.
1. What first got you into the senior care space?
Coming from a Hospital System and Pharmaceuticals background, senior care became a natural fit—not to mention, I am getting older. While I may act young, I have always been an old soul. My wife and I talk about our relationships with our friend groups a lot. We are some of the youngest folks, but seem to relate more to the older generations.
2. What do you see as the biggest challenges in the industry today?
I have coined the phrase, “IT needs to be seen as a strategic partner and not a cost center in our industry.” Many in senior care have IT reporting to the CFO, which is challenging. Even if it’s a dotted line, IT should always report to the CEO because in our industry, IT needs to be seen as a strategic partner, not a cost center.
3. What’s the biggest leadership lesson you’ve learned and would want to share?
Knowing that the leadership team trusts you implicitly is really powerful. Pass that trust, and the confidence that comes with it, to your team. When you have a strong group working for you, don’t be afraid to delegate certain tasks. This allows you to keep the needle moving instead of stagnating in minutiae.
4. What do you think the industry needs to do better over the next decade?
We have to lean more on our IT teams for their expertise. There is never a shortage of information and opinions in senior care, but don’t always go after the latest and greatest. Because technology is constantly changing, we need to be better about taking the time to vet our tools and trust our tech leaders to guide us in the right direction.
We also have to be more aware of potential pitfalls ahead of time, but not be too timid to make decisions or else we will fall behind. The key is to ensure we fully understand all risks and then take a proactive approach.
5. What gives you the most optimism about the future of senior care?
What gives me optimism about the future of senior care is the increasing focus on technology and innovation. There are many new ideas and ways to adopt tech, creating opportunities to improve care.
The Amazing Spider-Man’s uncle once said, “With great power comes great responsibility.” (Stan Lee 1962) In IT, that responsibility means understanding not just what we do, but how we do it.
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