A Societal Makeover as Boomers Turn 65

01/05/2011 - 10:30:33am

Let the prognostication begin!

Predictably the New Year – in which the first of the baby boomers turn 65 – began with much of the usual hand-wringing over what the aging of the country’s largest demographic will mean for the economy, politics and culture.

Taking on Foreclosures

10/15/2010 - 08:28:56am

On the front page of today's New York Times is the story of a retired lawyer, Thomas A. Cox , 66, of Denmark, Maine, who formerly worked for a bank calling in loans and foreclosing on people and found his encore career when he went over to the other side.

The work took a toll on his marriage. After it ended, he became depressed. He stopped practicing law and built houses for a while, then he began volunteering at Pine Tree Legal Assistance, a nonprofit helps fight foreclosures.

Purpose Prize Summit: Time to Change the World

11/03/2009 - 05:51:32am

Editor's note: In closing the 2009 Purpose Prize Summit, Jim Emerman, executive vice president of Civic Ventures, recapped the three-day event that ended Monday.

What a weekend! We started on Saturday night to honor the Purpose Prize fellows. Ann Higdon started us on our journey with her parable of the older master passing the keys to the new generation of leaders.

Robert Egger closed out the evening, urging us to find ways to bring together the energy, experience and passion of The Purpose Prize generation with the Millennial generation.

In Memoriam: Cowboy Fred Ortiz

01/29/2008 - 10:55:49am

Those of us who met Cowboy Fred Ortiz at the 2006 Purpose Prize Summit will never forget the man with the cowboy hat, beard, ponytail, and earring, always dressed in a color coordinated suit, shirt, and tie -- complete with a pocket handkerchief.

We were saddened to hear that Cowboy Fred this week lost his battle with cancer. He was 65.

MINDTRUST: Investments in Encore Education Entrepreneurs

08/23/2007 - 10:35:41am

The Mind Trust, a newly-formed nonprofit organization based in Indianapolis, is launching a new fellowship program that seems to speak straight to the talent and passion of the new breed of encore entrepreneurs, such as the winners of The Purpose Prize.

The Mind Trust's mission is to attract, support, and empower the nation’s most effective and promising education entrepreneurs to transform public education outcomes for children in Indianapolis and beyond.

Boomer's Babies: Financial Products for Encore Careers?

08/20/2007 - 12:50:35pm

It's never too early to be preparing for the kind of encore that delivers a triple win for individuals, or communities and society as a whole.

At least that's the assessment of The Economist. In their August 9th issue, they note that, "Now the younger baby-boomers' children are moving into adulthood. This group, labelled Generation Y,... may look like distant prospects, but much of the financial sector's future success will ride on how soon (and how profitably) it grabs them when they reach their 20s."