For Andrea Puente, being the Director of Marketing & Sales at Belvedere Senior Housing feels like a true full-circle moment. Growing up close to her grandmother, whom she calls Mama, the East Chicago native cultivated a special relationship that fueled her love for the elderly.
Before her job at Belvedere, Puente began working in banking after studying accounting at Ivy Tech Community College. Though she enjoyed her time in the banking industry, she always wanted to find a job that allowed her to use her creativity. Puente then transitioned to working at “The Times of Northwest Indiana” as a customer service representative, where she met account executives who would inspire her career.
“They were like the people I dreamed of being,” Puente said. “They were always so involved in the community and volunteering, just doing great things.”
A promotion allowed her to join the marketing and advertising department, and Puente never looked back. She began working with upwards of 50 to 60 clients with the goal of one day working for a single client to see their mission fully come to life.
“I would use so much energy and effort in helping to build a media plan that would help clients accomplish their goals,” Puente said. “I knew eventually I wanted to do that just for one business.”
That goal was fulfilled when she was introduced to Belvedere Senior Housing. After doing client work with the senior housing facility, Puente became the director of marketing & sales for Belvedere in April of 2024. For Puente, it’s been a dream come true.
As mentioned previously, Puente’s love for her grandmother coupled with her previous experience working with Belvedere fueled her desire to pursue a greater role at the senior housing facility.
“Growing up, my best friend in the whole world was my Mama,” Puente said. “I’ve always had a special place in my heart for elderly people. I was a fan of Belvedere and the type of environment that they promoted while I was their advertising rep. Since being here, I have really enjoyed every single day because I feel like I'm employed somewhere where I can use my creative ability to make a difference and improve the quality of life for the residents.”
Puente’s Hispanic heritage is another important part of her mission at Belvedere. Being bilingual, she hopes to make the senior housing facility more inclusive to Hispanic residents who are historically less likely to seek out assisted living services due to their cultural upbringing, according to Puente.
“We have a few residents who only speak Spanish here, and it warms my heart and gives me a sense of fulfillment to be able to help them in their language,” Puente said. “One of my goals now is to educate our culture that there are places like Belvedere Senior Housing where people can go and feel supported if they need help with everyday life. Seeing firsthand how amazing this environment is, I feel confident that my children will feel comfortable if and when I decide to move to an assisted living community. My children who range in ages from 12-21 and myself all say that we are counting down the days until we turn 55 to move into Belvedere Senior Housing.”
In addition to her work at Belvedere Senior Housing, Puente serves her community in a variety of different ways in multiple board member positions. The East Chicago native is a current member of the Munster Chamber of Commerce, as well as a past board member of the Hammond Education Foundation and the Highland-Griffith Chamber of Commerce. She was also a finalist for Up and Coming Influential Woman in Marketing & Media through the Northwest Indiana Influential Women’s Association
Puente noted that she’s always looking for business and community partners for Belvedere.
“Our residents really enjoy learning and tend to be highly engaged during educational presentations," she said.
You can learn more about Belvedere and its mission on its website.