Joseph “Joe” Soto has been hired as executive director of Carolina Bay at Autumn Hall, a new rental and equity-based continuing care retirement community in Wilmington. The announcement was made by Liberty Senior Living Management Services, a unit of Liberty Healthcare Companies, also based in Wilmington.

In his new position, Soto is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the $56 million community, slated to open its doors to the first residents this fall, the release stated. He comes to Carolina Bay at Autumn Hall from Vibra Hospital of Charleston, where he was the administrator of the hospital’s Transitional Care unit.

The new director holds a bachelor's degree in accounting and economics from Marshall University and a master's degree in health policy and administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Earlier in his career he was the president and CFO at Cape Fear Memorial Hospital and headed up several local nursing homes, according to the release.

Located within the mixed-use community of Autumn Hall, Carolina Bay offers condominiums for purchase and apartment homes for lease, with one- and two-bedroom floor plans ranging from 700 to 1,500 square feet. The development offers a range of facilities.