CPL plans to serve as a bridge between employers seeking needed talent and people 55+ who have the capabilities and desire to continue working with employers as well as in entrepreneurial or other activities.
History
The Center for Productive Longevity (CPL) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit created by Human Resource Services, Inc. (HRS) in 2006 with the mission of stimulating the substantially increased engagement of people 55+ in productive activities, paid and volunteer, where they are qualified and ready to continue adding value.
We have a new world today as 78 million Baby Boomers approach their retirement years, many with a strong desire to continue working and adding value. HRS has been focused on this reality for more than 15 years, organizing its first public event in June 2000: “Meeting the Employment Needs of the 21st Century: National Conference on the Economic and Social Impact of Demographic Change.” Examples of the media coverage are included in the Material of Interest on this website. A book, Working Through Demographic Change: How Older Americans Can Sustain the Nation’s Prosperity, based on the edited Conference presentations and material contributed by Dr. Robert Butler and others, was published in early 2001. Senator John Breaux (D.-LA), then Chairman of the Senate Aging Committee and one of the speakers, distributed copies of the book to every member of Congress with a cover letter signed by him.
A second event, “National Conference on the New Human Resources Frontier: Utilizing Older Workers for Competitive Advantage”, was organized as the launching platform for CPL. Despite the impending global economic crisis that started in the latter part of 2007. CPL published a book in 2008 based largely on the Conference proceedings. One of our press releases was headed “The Time Bomb is Ticking as Baby Boomers Approach Early Retirement.”
The succeeding years have seen massive lay-offs and unemployment that has been as high as 9.6 percent. With continued high unemployment and low economic growth projected for the foreseeable future, CPL has taken the initiative of developing a series of meetings to create greater awareness and understanding about the benefits and opportunities for workers 55+ to create their own businesses. The first meeting on March 27, 2012 was hosted by the Kauffman Foundation, created by Ewing Marion Kauffman in 1966 to be the foundation of entrepreneurship in America. Three more meetings are planned with the same focus as follows: Boston in September, Chicago in October and Denver in November. The creation of many such businesses throughout the country will reduce unemployment and increase economic growth. They will enable many Americans to contribute to versus draw from our national economy, with significant social as well as economic gains.
As the economy improves, CPL has plans to stimulate the substantial utilization of people 55+ who are qualified and ready to continue in productive activities.
