Company Contacts:
William K. Zinke or James R. Hooks
Center for Productive Longevity 
303.499.3939

BOULDER, CO–(Marketwire – May 10, 2012) – The Center for Productive Longevity (CPL), which serves as the bridge between people 55 and older and the opportunities that enable them to continue in productive activities, today described “The 3 Important Ways to Defuse the Ticking Time Bomb of our Aging Workforce.“ With 77 million people in the United States 55 and older, we are at a tipping point: we can either watch them sit on the sidelines, drawing from unsustainable entitlement programs and the general economy, or we can enable this growing population segment to continue working and contribute to the country’s economic growth and prosperity.

Recent surveys by AARP indicate that 80 percent of the Baby Boomers intend to continue working after leaving their regular career jobs, more than half on less than a full-time basis. Many need or want the additional income, particularly because of their wealth reduction from the recession in 2001 and the global economic crisis that began in the U.S. in late 2007. Other reasons to continue working include the desire to maintain cognitive skills, continue adding value, and remain socially connected.

“We have been aware of this ticking time bomb for years without taking effective action. Now it’s really getting louder with the growing retirement of Baby Boomers at the rate of 4.2 million each year from 2011 through 2029, compounded by high unemployment and low economic growth for the foreseeable future,” says William Zinke, 85, founder and president of CPL. “We can defuse this time bomb by creating a wave of entrepreneurship across the country and stimulating employers to take a more flexible approach in providing employment opportunities for older workers.”

According to CPL, we can defuse the ticking time bomb of our aging workforce in three important ways:

1. Baby Boomer Entrepreneurship
Create awareness and understanding among the Baby Boomers about the benefits and opportunities of creating their own businesses. Entrepreneurship remains a critical factor in the country’s economic growth and vitality, with a spirit of pioneering and self-reliance still a part of America’s DNA.

2. Flexible Workplace Options
Stimulate employers to develop phased retirement programs and other flexible workplace options that will retain and attract Baby Boomers 55 and older who want to continue working but on a part-time basis. A movement is developing in this direction, but a recent survey by Harris Interactive indicates that only 24 percent of Fortune 1000 companies provide such options.

3. Greater Talent Pool Utilization
The reality is that America has a large and growing talent pool of workers 55 and older with experience, expertise, seasoned judgment and proven performance (EESP). Research shows that older workers have a higher level of commitment, reliability and motivation; have better overall skills and abilities than younger workers; and have much lower absenteeism and turnover. This talent pool must be tapped to a substantially greater degree.

“Economic growth and our standard of living may be reduced if older workers are not provided with opportunities to continue working, yet there is no real recognition of the need to do so,” adds Zinke. “It is CPL’s purpose to change the national mindset about aging and retirement.”

One way CPL is highlighting the benefits of senior entrepreneurship is by organizing a series of four meetings titled “Spotlight on Entrepreneurship Opportunities for Baby Boomers.“ The first meeting was held at the Kauffman Foundation in Kansas City, MO, the focal point for entrepreneurship in America, on March 27 with almost 100 participants and excellent feedback. The next three meetings will be held at Babson College in Wellesley, MA on September 14, Northwestern University/Kellogg School of Business in Chicago on October 11, and the University of Denver on November 15. To register, visit http://www.ctrpl.org/entrepreneurship-meeting/overview.

About the Center for Productive Longevity
The mission of CPL is to be the bridge between people 55 and older and their engagement in productive activities, paid and volunteer, where they are qualified and ready to continue adding value. It is imperative that we recognize the value added by an aging workforce. Visit ctrpl.org for more information. Follow the Center for Productive Longevity on Facebook at facebook.com/CTRPL.

Company Contacts:
William K. Zinke or James R. Hooks
Center for Productive Longevity 
303.499.3939

Spotlight on Entrepreneurship Opportunities for Baby Boomers
A March 27 meeting will help Baby Boomers explore how to start entrepreneurial ventures that can contribute to the nation’s economic growth

BOULDER, CO – On Tuesday, March 27^th, 2012, a one-day meeting will convene 100 Baby Boomers to explore the opportunities of entrepreneurship. The meeting is designed to inspire Baby Boomers to view entrepreneurship as a positive way for people ages 50 and older to remain productively engaged and to reflect this country’s roots of self-reliance. The goal is to increase awareness and understanding about the benefits of pursuing the entrepreneurial route.  This event will be held at the Kauffman Foundation Meeting Center at 4801 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO. Sponsors include AARP, the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE), the Center for Productive Longevity (CPL), and the Kauffman Foundation.

The opening speaker will be Benno C. Schmidt, Jr., Interim President & CEO, Kauffman Foundation.  Other speakers will include Mary Beth Izard, a former scholar-in-residence at the Kauffman Foundation and author of BoomerPreneurs, and three successful entrepreneurs:  Jerry Kelly, CEO and Co-Founder, Silpada Designs; Dave Alburty, Chairman & CEO, InnovaPrep; and Danny O’Neil, President and Founder, Roasterie.  The meeting will include two rounds of breakout sessions on topics of significant interest to potential entrepreneurs.  Breakout session leaders will include Rick Moody, Vice President & Director of Academic Affairs, AARP; Helen Dennis, a nationally recognized leader on issues of aging and work; and Greg Merrill, President, National Older Workers Career Center. 

The meeting will focus on the benefits and opportunities of entrepreneurship, as well as the fears and concerns.  The underlying theme for these meetings is the enterprising spirit that built America.

The other three meetings will be held in the period of September-November in Boston, Chicago and Denver with the same purpose.  Each of the meetings will be for people 50 and older at no charge, with a maximum of 100 participants.  The goal is to stimulate more workers 50 and older–people with experience, expertise, seasoned judgment and proven performance–to create their own businesses.  The result will be reduced unemployment and increased economic growth for the United States.  With the 78 million Baby Boomers reaching traditional retirement age of 65 in 2011 and each year thereafter through 2029 at the rate of 4.1 million per year, the United States cannot afford either economically or socially to have this enormous talent pool sitting on the sidelines and drawing from versus contributing to our national economy.

America was built by people with an enterprising spirit and a determination to persevere despite large obstacles.  At the present time and based on future projections, there are few alternatives for people 50 and older who want to continue in productive activities.  These meetings can rekindle the pioneering spirit in America. 

Information about the meetings and how to register for the first event can be found on the CPL website www.ctrpl.org. The meeting is limited to 100 participants and registrants will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

The mission of CPL is to stimulate the substantially increased utilization of people 55+ in productive activities, paid and volunteer, where they are qualified and ready to continue adding value. More…

CPL will reach out to employers to stimulate their development of phased retirement programs, flexible workplace options, and other ways of utilizing the large and growing talent pool of workers 55. More…

Utilizing this talent pool to a substantially greater extent will have a positive impact on the nation’s economy and its ability to play a leadership role in the global economy. More…

The negative mindset about aging must change because people are living longer and in better health, therefore able to be productive for significantly longer periods of time. More…