2009 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner:
Charles E. Hawley, Vice President of Public Affairs
Providence Health & Services
Seattle, Washington
Chuck has been with Providence since April 1, 1987. Currently, he serves as Vice President, Public Affairs where he works with System and Regional leaders to achieve Providence Health & Services’ business and strategic business objectives while positioning and protecting the reputation of the organization. His work is focused on those issues involving state and federal regulatory issues, compliance, and advocacy. Prior to assuming the senior leadership role at Providence for Government Affairs Chuck was Vice President of Long Term Care and Continuum Development for 15 years. In that capacity he provided leadership for the development and integration of the continuum of care which included setting system-wide directions for long term care and housing, planning new projects and guiding implementation, as well as developing a number of innovative long term care programs. Chuck was recently selected as a recipient of the Mother Joseph Award by the Provincial Leadership Team of the Mother Joseph Province.
Throughout his career, Chuck has been a strong advocate in public policy circles, serving on several national and state task forces. In Washington State, he served as a member of the Long Term Advisory Committee to the Washington Health Services Commission and chaired the Budget and Finance Committee for the Long Term Care Commission. He has also served on a number of task forces with the National Academy of State Health Policy. He was selected as a recipient of the “Distinguished Service Award” by the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging. He was one of ten national leaders serving on a Health Care Reform Task Force for the Catholic Health Association of the United States and co-chaired the association’s task force on the uninsured. He currently serves on that organization’s Public Policy Committee.
Chuck holds a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Washington, where his studies emphasized public policy and government regulation of business.
2008 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner:
Dwayne J. Clark
Founder & CEO, ÁegisLiving
Dwayne J. Clark is the founder and chief executive officer of ÁegisLiving. With 23 years of senior housing experience, Dwayne is nationally known for the quality of projects he manages as well as his innovative flare. 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 a 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.
When Dwayne co-founded Áegis with developer Bill Gallaher, 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 Áegis from a dream to a company that has nearly $2 billion in real estate assets, over $200million in operating revenues, over 2,000 staff and is one of the most sought after operators in the country.
Prior to forming Áegis, Dwayne was executive vice president of Sunrise Senior Living and prior to Sunrise, he spent 7 years with LeisureCare.
Dwayne has been honored in numerous ways for his contribution to business as well as senior housing. Aegis Living has been voted “best company to work for” over the last seven years by Washington CEO magazine. Dwayne Clark was named Ernst &Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2007 and has been honored with an Aging program at Bastyr University named the Dwayne J. Clark Healthy Aging Program. Áegis was also honored by the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce as Eastside Business of the Year in 2006.
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 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 Theater, as well as the Young Presidents Organization where he served as Chairman of the Northwest Chapter.
Dwayne is married to Terese who owns a nurse consulting practice and runs a luxury day spa known as Spa Agio. He has two successful children, Adam who works for Áegis Living as Director of Revenue and Ashley who is CEO of Callahan Concierge. Adam is married to Lyvia and they have a son Andre.
2007 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner:
John Ellis
During John Ellis' tenure as head of Puget Sound Power and Light (now Puget Sound Energy), we was concurrently involved with 16 local non-profit organizations. His dedication to his work and his community makes him the ideal recipient of Senior Services' 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award.
Born and raised in Seattle, John graduated from Franklin High, the University of Washington and its school of law. After joining the firm that later became Perkins Coie, he served as its managing partners as well as general counsel to Puget Sound Power and Light. In 1970 he left Perkins Coie to become the utility's president/CEO and later chairman of the board.
Among John's accomplishments while at Puget Power, the Gatekeeper program stands out. The program, a joint project developed by Puget Power and Senior Services, trains public works staff to recognize the signs of trouble while working at the homes of participating senior citizens and people with disabilities. The staff person then alerts authorities for help. Under John's leadership, the Edison Electric Institute, the national trade group of private utilities, helped implement the Gatekeeper program across the country. Puget Power received the prestigious Edison Award for its efforts.
John's involvement and influence has gone far beyond the local community. He was the founding chairman of the Seattle-King County Economic Development Council and was a member of the Governor's Council on Education Reform and Funding. He served, uniquely during the same period, as both the Chairman of the Board of Regents of Washington State University and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Seattle University. As President of the Bellevue Boys Club (now Boys & Girls Club) he was instrumental in opening admission to girls, a precedent that was later adopted nation-wide.
John retired from Puget Power and Light in 1992. In 2004 the company presented him with its Pioneer Award for community leadership, commemorated by a gas-flame lamp installed in the downtown-Bellevue park which John helped establish.
In 1992, John helped organize the Baseball Club of Seattle, formed to acquire the Seattle Mariners, and later was named chairman and CEO of the team. He led the drive to build Safeco Field and negotiated to bring baseball's Major League All-Star Game here in 2001. At the close of the 1999 baseball season, John retired as Chairman and CEO and was elected Chairman Emeritus and mains a member of the Mariners Board of Directors. He is currently a member of the International, Ownership and Comensation & Finance Committee of Major League Baseball. Coming full circle, he has rejoined his old law firm, Perkins Coie, as senior counsel in the old Bellevue office.
John is married to his high school sweetheart, Doris; they have four children and eight grandchildren. His passions include sailing, golfing and playing the piano and he can still be found playing occasional gigs with his jazz combo Power Plus.
2006 Lifetime Achievement Award winner:
Will Blethen
Will Blethen makes headline news at Senior Services for his outstanding contributions that help create brighter futures for older adults in our community. In its 27 year history and through Will's leadership, The Seattle Times Fund for the Needy annual holiday giving campaign has raised more than $10.6 million dollars to provide vital services to people in need. Senior Services is one of the original Fund for the Needy agencies. And, thanks to support from the Fund, there's never been a waiting list for Meals on Wheels, a Senior Services program which provides nutritious meals to area seniors.
Senior Services feels privileged to count Will as one of our treasured friends and we thank him for his long-standing commitment to Seattle's seniors. Why does he care? Will says, "It is all about giving back. We who have been fortunate have the responsibility to help those who are less fortunate. And the plight of people at both ends of the age spectrum, for me, is particularly compelling. The elderly and children, particularly those in foster care, can find themselves in very difficult circumstances through no fault of their own. Help in these areas can be especially effective and life altering."
Will also dedicates much of his time and talents to support The 5th Avenue Theatre as a director and treasurer, The Dependency Court system by serving as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for children in foster care, as well as other human services organization.
2005 Lifetime Achievement Award winner:
Alice Sandstrom
2004 Lifetime Achievement Award winner:
Sally Behnke
2003 Lifetime Achivement Award winner:
Bill Cruzen & Steve Catching
2002 Lifetime Achievement Award winner:
Helen and Phil Smart Sr.