Draft:Ralph J. Nagel

Ralph J. Nagel (born July 13,1945) is an American architect, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and artist. He founded and operated Meridian Retirement Communities that introduced and developed a "social" model for residential aging facilities.

Early years
Nagel earned his BA (1967) and his Masters in Architecture (1969) from Washington University in St Louis, Missouri. He earned two additional Masters Degrees in Urban Design and City Planning (1972) from the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) where he was a student of 20th century architect Louis Kahn. At Penn, Nagel won the John Stewardson Memorial Fellowship in Architecture award.

Career
Following graduation from the University of Pennsylvania in 1972, Nagel led the winning team in an international competition for the design of a new Missouri State Office Complex to be anchored by the historic Wainwright Building. In 1974, Nagel founded the architectural firm, Ralph Nagel, Architects & Planners Inc. The focus of the firm's work was designing residential and commercial buildings, community centers, medical offices and continuing care retirement complexes.

Meridian Retirement Communities
Nagel's experience in continuing care retirement complexes led him to found Meridian Retirement Communities in 1984, which he owned and managed for 20 years. The Meridian business model was innovative and unique at the time. The traditional model for housing aging seniors was focused solely on their medical care. A distinguishing characteristic of Meridian was that it facilitated the "social" model of aging for seniors. At Meridian, residents were encouraged and enabled to re-invent themselves, make new friends and to develop new interests. Seniors could choose to enter and live independently in a vibrant social environment with minimal care. Those residents requiring enhanced medical assistance and support could take advantage of special programs and facilities within the community.

Nagel's other business endeavors extended to an array of real estate and specialty business portfolios, including student housing, birthing centers in China with Johns Hopkins Clinics, transitional accommodation for sober men, Fitness Centers, urban neighborhood residential, office, retail and commercial structures.

Civic life
Nagel has had extensive involvement in the University of Denver's 125 acre campus, including the Nagel Art Studio, Moye Hall, the Hampden Center and Nagel Residence Hall that garnered the Leadership in Energy and Environment Design, LEED Gold Rated Award.

Nagel co-founded ACE, the Alliance for Choice in Education, a K-12 scholarship program in the USA that has supported over 60,000 low-income students to attend their school of choice.

He was appointed Chairman of the Colorado Commission of Higher Education, served on the nominating committees for the Appellate and Supreme Courts of Colorado and was a member of Board of Directors for Governor Bill Owens' Colorado Institute of Technology.

Along with his wife Patricia (Trish) Nagel, Nagel serves as a Lifetime Trustee for Washington University of St Louis and Denver University. Nagel also serves on the Sam Fox School of Visual Art and Design National Council and chairs the Denver Regional Cabinet.

Cultural life
In 2013, Nagel, in association with the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, produced the World Premiere of "Just like Us" ( Simon Schuster, 2009), a play based on a collection of interviews by journalist Helen Thorpe of young Mexican girls who received scholarships from the ACE program.

Artist
An artist, Nagel has exhibited his paintings at galleries and museums in Colorado and internationally. Nagel is a member of Les Rats de Champs of Paris, and the co-founder of the painting group, STUDIO 208.