Aegis Living Founder Passing the Torch to New CEO in Planned Leadership Transition

Aegis Living is getting a new top leader as the company crosses three decades operating in senior living next year.

Aegis Living Founder Dwayne Clark is transitioning to executive chairman and handing the reins to the company’s president, Dirk Burghartz, who will work as both chief executive officer and president after the transition.

Clark is remaining CEO while stewarding Burghartz and Doke into their roles in the second quarter of 2027. Aegis CFO Derek Doke is assuming a newly expanded CFO and chief investment officer role with the move, according to Aegis.

Clark, who founded the company in 1997, stressed that although he was moving out of the CEO role, he is “not going away, and I am not really retiring.”

“What I am doing is entrusting Aegis to the next generation of leaders so this company can thrive for another 30 years and beyond,” Clark said in a press release.

Burghartz joined Aegis Living in 2025 as president with experience including almost two decades spent as a leader with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. He has also previously worked as president of Arcis Golf.

“As an industry, we’re going to have to do a lot of listening as we transition into this next generation of seniors moving into our residences,” Burghartz told Senior Housing News last year when he joined Aegis. “Whether it’s higher-end or mid-level, everybody is used to an amazing life in terms of service and experiences … I think they’re not trying to give that up.”

Today, Aegis operators 37 communities in Washington, California and Nevada. The company also has multiple others under development. Since founding the company in 1997, Clark has led Aegis through the management of more than 60 properties.

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