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Centinel and Operation Shower Support Expectant Military Mothers With Group Baby Shower at Fort Campbell  

OAK GROVE, Ky. (July 31, 2025) – Centinel, one of the nation’s leaders in military housing and community development, hosted nearly 40 expectant military mothers for a group baby shower in partnership with the nonprofit Operation Shower. The event took place Tuesday, July 29, at the Valor Hall Conference and Event Center in Oak Grove, Kentucky. All participating mothers were active-duty service members or the spouses or partners of deployed members stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. 

Each mom-to-be received Operation Shower’s signature “Shower in a Box,” packed with high-quality necessities for mothers and babies generously donated by companies including Centinel Community Fund, Banz, Diaper Genie, Angelcare, Skip Hop, Selah James, Tullabee and Nemah. Beyond these gifts, expectant moms also had the valuable opportunity to connect with other women in a similar situation, fostering and creating a community on base. 

“For military moms who are expecting a baby and whose partners are deployed – and especially those who are active duty themselves, the impending arrival of a child can be both exciting and stressful. Whether they are serving on the front lines or doing everything at home that enables their loved ones to proudly serve our country, these remarkable women deserve our love, our gratitude and an opportunity to celebrate this wonderful milestone together,” said Operation Shower Founder and Chief Shower Officer LeAnn Morrissey. “We truly appreciate Centinel’s longstanding support and generosity, which made this special shower possible.”   

Centinel Public Partnerships, which manages more than 4,450 homes for military families at Fort Campbell in Kentucky, sponsored the shower through its nonprofit branch, the Centinel Community Fund. Centinel has donated more than $350,000 through their 14-year partnership with Operation Shower. Together, the two organizations have hosted more than a dozen baby showers and honored more than 500 military mothers and families. 

“We are thrilled to express our gratitude to these courageous military moms-to-be for their service and sacrifice for our country,” said Centinel Community Fund President Gretchen Turpen. “It’s an honor to stand beside Operation Shower to ensure these moms feel supported, valued and celebrated.” 

The Centinel Community Fund is proud to give back to military families in all stages of life, specifically through the Bluestar Scholarships program, the 18 FORE Military Families annual golf tournament and generous partnerships with other nonprofit organizations such as Operation Shower.  

To learn more about Centinel Community Fund and Operation Shower, visit https://centinelus.com/community-fund/ and https://operationshower.org/.  

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About Operation Shower® 

Operation Shower is a nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating and honoring military families by providing joyful baby showers for military moms-to-be to ease the stresses of deployment and separation. Since its inception in 2007, Operation Shower has showered more than 9,600 military moms from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, National Guard and Coast Guard. To learn more, visit www.operationshower.org.  

About Centinel Public Partnerships 

Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Centinel Public Partnerships is dedicated to enhancing the lives of U.S. military members and their families through its high-quality housing and lodging communities. With a portfolio of 10 housing communities and over 70 hotels across 26 states and Puerto Rico, Centinel’s leadership team brings nearly 25 years of experience to one of the largest military housing privatization portfolios in the United States. Through its established partnerships with WinnResidential Military Housing Services and IHG® Hotels & Resorts, hotel operator and manager of IHG Army Hotels, Centinel provides exceptional communities and lodging experiences for service members and their families.  

The Centinel Community Fund (CCF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to uplifting military service members, military families, and military communities where Centinel employees live and work. For more information, visit https://centinelus.com/community-fund/. 

Media Contacts: 

Madison Scheid  
MP&F Strategic Communications  
(615) 259-4000  
Mscheid@mpf.com   

LeAnn Morrissey  
Operation Shower Founder and Chief Shower Officer   
leann@operationshower.org    

Chief Commercial Officer Kevin Davis is responsible for Centinel’s commercial services, including transactions, operations and government relations. He also oversees risk and compliance, along with leadership of Environment, Health and Safety, and Marketing and Public Affairs. Kevin spent 18 years with Lendlease in senior business development, commercial and legal roles, following earlier experience in private law practice and service in the U.S. Air Force.

With nearly two decades of experience in marketing and communications, Meryl Exley leads Centinel’s brand, communications and public affairs strategy as Executive Vice President, Marketing and Public Affairs. She oversees corporate communications, client and customer engagement, public relations, media, and crisis management, strengthening the company’s reputation and community connections. Before Centinel, Meryl held senior marketing leadership roles at Lendlease, where she advanced growth and visibility for its military housing and lodging platform.

Matthew Garrett is Executive Vice President responsible for Centinel’s Air Force Housing and Privatization of Army Lodging (PAL) portfolios. He directs operations and strategic initiatives across both programs. Before joining Centinel, Matt held senior leadership roles at Lendlease, where he expanded its student housing platform and managed a military housing portfolio of more than 40,000 homes. He also led federal lobbying and outreach efforts, engaging with congressional and Department of Defense stakeholders. Earlier in his career, Matt served as a U.S. Army officer, earning a Bronze Star for Valor during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Leading Centinel’s legal, compliance and governance functions, Heather Niemeyer provides strategic counsel to support growth and manage risk across the portfolio. She brings more than 15 years of experience advising global organizations, including senior legal roles at Lendlease and earlier practice with two international law firms.

As Centinel’s Chief Financial Officer, Jeremy Martin is responsible for financial strategy, operations and reporting, guiding the company’s long-term growth and performance. He has more than 20 years of experience in corporate and real estate finance, with expertise in financial planning, compliance and risk management. Jeremy served as CFO for Lendlease (US) Public Partnerships Holdings LLC prior to the company’s acquisition by Centinel, where he directed financial operations for Lendlease Communities.

Gretchen Turpen serves as Executive Vice President, Asset Management, where she directs operations and asset, property and development management for Centinel’s Army housing portfolio of more than 25,000 homes. In this role, she leads corporate strategy, financial performance, and client and customer relationships. Previously, Gretchen was Head of Lodging, where she delivered the Privatization of Army Lodging (PAL) program including the renovation of over 12,000 hotel rooms across 40 military installations nationwide.

In his role as President, Phillip Carpenter guides operations for Centinel’s Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI) and Privatization of Army Lodging (PAL) portfolios. He is responsible for property management, asset management, development, construction, and environmental health and safety. With more than 40 years of experience supporting the Department of Defense, Phillip has held senior leadership positions with Lendlease and J&J Worldwide Services, bringing expertise in real estate, development and facilities management. 

Justin Kern, Chief Executive Officer of Centinel, sets the company’s strategic direction with a focus on long-term sustainment and outcomes for customers, partners and employees. He has more than 20 years of leadership in real estate finance, construction and operations. Prior to Centinel, Justin served as President and CEO of Lendlease (US) Public Partnerships Holdings LLC, where he oversaw asset management, property management and development for military housing and lodging communities.