Over 200 people came together last Wednesday night in Canberra for the Australian Property Hall of Fame Award to Jim Hazel, for his leadership across 25 years in the retirement living sector. 

A seven-minute video was played, highlighting his mentoring role, particularly women. Tony Randello, CEO of Aveo, spoke of his learnings with Jim as did Simon Owen on their time together when he was CEO and President of the Retirement Village Association, and then creating Ingenia. 

Jim’s first exposure to the village sector was his role as Chief General Manager of Adelaide Bank, rescuing a number of retirement villages caught in the 1990’s credit squeeze.  

He then supported Loretta Byers establish Village Care, which became the first professional village management group with up to 50 private villages in their fold. 

In the 90s he also backed many families into the sector like the Gannon family, which became the base group of villages in the creation of RetireAustralia. 

In the 2000s Jim was approached to lead the rescue of Prime Life, the largest private retirement village group nationally. As CEO he turned it around. It is now the base for what was Lendlease villages and now Keyton villages. 

In 2010s he got on board as Chairman of Simon Owen’s Ingenia Communities, when it was valued at $20M. Between 2010 and 2105 Ingenia legitimised land lease communities as an investment grade sector with institutional funds. Jim is still Chair (until November) and Ingenia is now valued at approaching $2B. 

Separately he was amongst the first to embrace private aged care in retirement villages, creating Omega Communities in Adelaide, with two villages. In 2015 he co-founded the Icam Property Fund, now with $700M under management and a buyer and operator of retirement villages. 

Outside of the retirement living sector, Jim is a Board member of Council of the Ageing (COTA Australia), Chair of the Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network, Deputy Chancellor of Adelaide University, Chair of the Adelaide Festival Centre Trust and a Director of Coopers Brewery. 

From left: Mike Zorbas, CEO Property Council, Carmel Hourigan, CEO Charter Hall, Jim Hazel, Deputy Prime Minister The Hon Richard Marles MP, Charlotte Vidor AM, Founder Toga Group, Michael O’Brien, National President, QIC Managing Director and Tony Randello, CEO Aveo and President Retirement Living Council.

Browse villages.com.au for the latest on Seniors Living including availability.