Aegis Living founder Dwayne Clark hands CEO role to president Dirk Burghartz in planned 2027 transition

Aegis Living was founded in 1997 by Dwayne Clark. Clark has led the company through the management of more than 60 properties over nearly three decades. The company currently operates 37 communities in Washington, California and Nevada and has multiple additional communities under development.

Dirk Burghartz will become CEO and continue as president. Burghartz joined Aegis in 2025 as president. His background includes nearly two decades with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and a role as president of Arcis Golf prior to joining Aegis. In comments in 2025, Burghartz emphasized listening to the next generation of seniors and the importance of service and experience for residents.

Derek Doke, Aegis's current CFO, will assume a newly expanded role combining chief financial officer and chief investment officer responsibilities. The move centralizes financial and investment decision-making under Doke's leadership.

What the transition signals for Aegis

The change shifts day-to-day operational leadership to Burghartz while keeping Clark in a governance and mentorship role as executive chairman. Clark framed the move as preparing Aegis for continued operation "for another 30 years and beyond," and he said he is not retiring.

Operational footprint and recent activity

Aegis's footprint remains focused on the West Coast and Nevada, with 37 operating communities. The company continues to develop additional communities, maintaining an expansion pipeline alongside its operating portfolio.

Leadership experience and strategy implications

Burghartz's hospitality and consumer-service background suggests an emphasis on resident experience and service standards. He has previously said that incoming cohorts of seniors expect high-quality service and experiences similar to what they had before moving into senior living.

Practical implications for stakeholders

• For residents and families: leadership continuity plus Clark's ongoing role may mean consistent corporate direction during the transition.
• For investors and partners: combining CFO and CIO roles could streamline capital allocation and development decisions.
• For employees: an internal promotion to CEO typically signals continuity in operations and strategy, with potential shifts in emphasis reflecting Burghartz's hospitality background.

Aegis is executing a planned, staged leadership handoff that keeps the founder engaged while elevating an executive with hospitality-focused experience to the CEO role. The company is consolidating financial and investment oversight under its CFO and continuing to operate and expand a West Coast and Nevada portfolio of communities.