8-K

 
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION


                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                           __________________________


                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT


     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

         Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) March 8, 1999
                                                          -------------

                                  Ventas, Inc.
                                  ------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
 
 
           Delaware                           1-10989           61-1055020
- ----------------------------------------   -----------     ------------------
     (State or other jurisdiction           (Commission       (IRS Employer
          of incorporation)                 File Number)   Identification No.)
 
3300 Aegon Center, 400 West Market Street, Louisville, Kentucky        40202
- --------------------------------------------------------------------  -------
       (Address of principal executive offices)                      (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code  (502) 596-7300
                                                   ---------------

 
Item 5.   Other Events

     A copy of the press release issued by the Company on March 8, 1999 is
attached to this filing as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 6.   Financial Statements and Exhibits

          (a) and (b)    Not applicable.

          (c)  Exhibits:

               99.1  Press Release dated March 8, 1999.

                                      -2-

 
                                   SIGNATURE


     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                                 VENTAS, INC.
                                 (Registrant)



Date: March 9, 1999              By: /s/ T. Richard Riney 
                                    -------------------------------
                                 Name:   T. Richard Riney
                                 Title:  Vice President

                                      -3-

 
                                 EXHIBIT INDEX



99.1 Press Release dated March 8, 1999.

                                      -4-

EX-99.1

                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1

Contact:  Steven T. Downey
          Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
          (502) 596-2140

 
            DEBRA A. CAFARO NAMED CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF VENTAS



     LOUISVILLE, Ky. (March 8, 1999) - Ventas, Inc. (NYSE: VTR) today announced
that Debra A. Cafaro has been elected President and Chief Executive Officer,
effective immediately. Cafaro will also join the Board of Directors. Cafaro
replaces Thomas T. Ladt in each of those positions.

     W. Bruce Lunsford, Chairman, remarked, "Tom Ladt has served as President
since May 1998 when Ventas essentially focused its resources on real estate. We
have accepted his decision to resign his executive positions and as a member of
the Board of Directors with a sound note of appreciation of his leadership
during this challenging period. Debra Cafaro brings highly respected
capabilities to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer. Her
record in directing Ambassador Apartments demonstrates her proven experience in
managing a real estate investment trust. We are pleased that she will be joining
our management team and look forward to her contributions."

     Cafaro, age 41, most recently served as President and Director of
Ambassador Apartments, Inc., a publicly held real estate investment trust. Her
responsibilities included the negotiations that led to the merger of Ambassador
Apartments with AIMCO (NYSE:AIV) in May 1998. Prior to accepting that position,
she was a partner with Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum Perlman & Nagelberg, a
Chicago-based law firm that she helped found in 1984. Cafaro served as Adjunct
Professor, Real Estate and Finance, at Northwestern University School of Law
from 1988 to 1992. She is a member of NAREIT, National Multi-Housing Council,
American Bar Association and Chicago Bar Association.

     Cafaro received her J.D. cum laude from the University of Chicago Law
School and her B.A. magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame.

     Ventas, Inc. is a real estate investment trust that owns 219 nursing
centers, 46 hospitals and 8 personal care facilities in 36 states.