Ronald Schlegel has made a lifelong commitment to enhancing elder care in Canada. A former professor of gerontology at the University of Waterloo, he applied his expertise to the development of retirement communities. He pioneered a model of long-term care based on a village concept, with easy access to services and social opportunities suited to continuum-of-care environments. Motivated by a long-term vision, he has endowed a research institute and a centre of excellence to explore health care innovations for Canada’s aging population.