Dwayne J. Clark is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Aegis Living. With more than 30 years of senior housing experience, Dwayne is nationally known for the quality of projects he manages, as well as his innovative flair. He has been involved in the development, construction and/or management of over 200 senior housing projects.
Dwayne was raised from humble beginnings by a single mom who gave him his greatest gift, the confidence that he could do anything. Those early years of Dwayne’s life led him to the tireless pursuit of running a company in a different way, with staff satisfaction being a driving force. His success in creating an outstanding company culture has been chronicled in many publications. This passion prompted him to write a book, “Help Wanted: Recruiting, Hiring and Retaining Exceptional Staff.” The book has been used for course curriculum in many leading universities. Dwayne has written two additional books about his mom and her journey with Alzheimer’s, “My Mother, My Son” and “Saturdays with G.G.” He’s currently working on his fourth book about Greatest Practices of Longevity, entitled “from Grapes to Raisins” He also writes a blog for The Huffington Post.
When Dwayne co-founded Aegis Living, his mission was to redefine an industry that had great potential but was failing in execution. He studied business models from companies known for world-class innovation, all based in Seattle: Costco, Nordstrom and Starbucks. With the knowledge gained from these companies, he grew Aegis Living from a dream to a company that has over $1.5 billion in real estate assets, over $175 million in operating revenues, over 2,000 staff members and seven projects currently under development in the Seattle area. Aegis Living is one of the most sought-after operators in the country.
Prior to forming Aegis Living, Dwayne was Executive Vice President of Sunrise Senior Living, and spent seven years with Leisure Care. Aegis Living won the prestigious Best of Assisted Living Design 2015 as awarded by Senior Housing News. Aegis Living was named the 2014 Family Business Awards Growth Award by Seattle Business Magazine for its steady rise in new business. Dwayne has been honored in numerous ways for his contribution to business, as well as to senior housing. Aegis Living has been voted “Best Company to Work For” many times by various media organizations and published employee surveys. The company is ranked the highest in the nation in the senior living industry by Glassdoor, an online employee review site. Dwayne Clark was named Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2007. He was also honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from Senior Services. He was also honored with a program at Bastyr University named the “Dwayne J. Clark Healthy Aging Program” and was granted the Bastyr University Mission Award. Aegis Living was also named Best Retirement Facility by 425 Magazine three years in a row.
Dwayne has been involved in many philanthropic ventures, including his own not-for-profit organization, the Potato Soup Foundation, which serves the needs of Aegis Living line staff and their families during times of crisis. He has also served on the boards of Seattle-based Rainier Scholars and the 5th Avenue Theatre, as well as the Young Presidents’ Organization, where he served as Chairman of the Northwest Chapter. He’s an accomplished playwright. His first play, “Seven Ways to Get There” premiered in early 2015 at Seattle’s ACT Theatre. Through his company True Productions, Clark is also producing a new documentary premiering at the 2016 Seattle International Film Festival about NBA legend Spencer Haywood entitled, “Full Court: The Spencer Haywood Story.” Dwayne Clark also owns the Seattle-based Queen Bee Café, featuring traditional English crumpets with locally-sourced products in tasty combinations. 100% of Queen Bee Café profits go to local charities.
Dwayne is married to Terese, who owned a nurse consulting practice and previously ran a luxury day spa known as Spa Agio. He has two successful children, Adam and Ashley, who both work for Aegis Living. Adam manages Aegis of Marymoor and Ashley leads philanthropic partnerships.
Dwayne Clark, founder of Redmond-based senior living system Aegis Living, will be the subject of an upcoming Hollywood feature film.
The movie will be based on his book, “My Mother, My Son — a True Story of Love, Determination and Memories … Lost.” It is a tribute to their relationship and to her influence on his life. Her picture is central in his office.
Clark’s 2012 emotional memoir is a reflection of the core of his vision and his experience in three decades in the elder-care industry. His mother, Mary Colleen Callahan Clark, whom he calls his omnipresent guiding light, died in October of 2010, after living with Parkinson’s-related dementia.
An article in “Deadline Hollywood” says: “This will mark the fourth collaboration between Winkler and E/F/O. They include Martin Scorsese’s upcoming passion project Silence which is now in post production and David Mamet adaptation Speed-The-
Needless to say, Clark is thrilled.
“I’m really excited about this,” Clark said. “My mother would be dancing a jig.”
To have cared for more than 60,000 people over a 30 year career, Clark said, many of whom have suffered from the same debilitating disease his mother did, makes this “a cherry on the top of that cake because so many more people will be aware of this disease.”
“To be able to retain creative control of the adaptation of the book is a wonderful thing,” Clark said, “and it’s all a little surreal right now.”