Nursing home operator Brookdale Senior Living said late Monday that longtime Chairman Wes Edens has turned over that role to fellow director Jeff Leeds.

Leeds, 66, has been a board member at Brentwood-based Brookdale since late 2005. A financial services industry veteran, he also chairs the board's audit committee. He retired as CFO of GreenPoint Financial in 2004.

Edens, 50, is a principal and co-founder at Fortress Investment Group, the large investment firm that three years ago owned more than half of Brookdale shares. The New York-based firm has since whittled down its stake to about 15 percent.

Shares of Brookdale (Ticker: BKD) closed Monday trading at $18 and are up slightly so far this year.