Biography

Over the past 40+ years, Dr. Ken Dychtwald has emerged as North America’s foremost visionary and original thinker regarding the lifestyle, marketing, healthcare, economic, leisure, and workforce implications of the age wave.

Ken is a psychologist, gerontologist, and best-selling author of 18 books on aging-related issues, including Bodymind, Age Wave: The Challenges and Opportunities of an Aging Society, Age Power: How the 21st Century Will Be Ruled by the New Old, Healthy Aging, Gideon’s Dream: A Tale of New Beginnings, A New Purpose: Redefining Money, Family, Work, Retirement, and Success and What Retirees Want: A Holistic View of Life’s Third Age (an Amazon #1 bestseller in both the retirement and business marketing categories). He also released a memoir in April 2021: Radical Curiosity: One Man’s Search for Cosmic Magic and a Purposeful Life (an Amazon #1 New Release in the psychologist biographies category). He was the executive producer and host of the highly rated/acclaimed PBS documentary, The Boomer Century: 1946–2046 which aired over 2,000 times on PBS stations nationwide and his new Public Television special is titled Life’s Third Age.

Since 1986, Ken has been the Founder and CEO of Age Wave, an acclaimed think tank and consultancy focused on the social and business implications and opportunities of global aging and rising longevity. His client list has included over half the Fortune 500. He has served as a fellow of the World Economic Forum and was a featured speaker at two White House Conferences on Aging. Ken has twice received the distinguished American Society on Aging Award for outstanding national leadership, and American Demographics honored him as the single most influential marketer to baby boomers over the past quarter century. His article in the Harvard Business Review, “It’s Time to Retire Retirement,” was awarded the prestigious McKinsey Award, tying for first place with the legendary Peter Drucker. He was honored by Investment Advisoras one of the 35 most influential thought leaders in the financial services industry over the past 35 years. Ken and his wife, Maddy, recently received the Esalen Prize for their outstanding contributions to advancing the human potential of aging men and women worldwide. In 2018 he was awarded the Inspire Award from in the International Council on Active Aging for his exceptional and lasting contributions to the active-aging industry and for his efforts to make a difference in the lives of older adults globally. In 2020, he was the first recipient of the Pioneer Award from the Retirement Coaches Association.

During his career, Ken has addressed more than two million people worldwide in his speeches to corporate, association, social service, and government groups. His strikingly accurate predictions and innovative ideas are regularly featured in leading media worldwide and have garnered nearly 15 billion media impressions.

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The Longevity Economy: Tomorrow’s Biggest Market Opportunities Hiding in Plain Sight

Rising longevity and the aging of the massive boomer generation are radically altering both the demographic landscape and every aspect of the consumer marketplace. Already 50+ consumers account for more than half of all spending and control more than 70% of total U.S. net worth. In the coming years, we’ll see explosive business growth fueled by this unprecedented age wave.

This provocative new presentation was created for business leaders seeking to understand, re-gear, and thrive in the era of unprecedented longevity. Dr. Ken Dychtwald offers a revealing glimpse into the future and will explore which industries, products and services will dominate the boomer marketplace and are hiding in plain sight:

- What medical breakthroughs and technologies are on the horizon that have the potential to dramatically transform health, aging, and longevity
- How an aging population’s evolving need for healthy choices will influence food, beverage, and supplement sectors
- How a cyclic lifeplan – with repeated personal reinventions – will stimulate demand for new ways to learn, give, volunteer, work, and enjoy life
- How the aging boomers will re-invent retirement and re-define the travel and leisure, housing, and financial services industries
- Lessons learned from four decades on the front lines about the successes of pioneering companies worldwide that have “cracked the code” and created brands and marketing strategies that resonate with this new generation of brand loyal consumers

How the Age Wave Will Transform the Marketplace, the Workplace, and Our Lives

Increasing longevity, declining fertility, and aging baby boomers are triggering an enormous age wave. This demographic tsunami has the potential to create tremendous marketplace and work/talent opportunities—and equally pressing social and financial challenges.

This informative and entertaining presentation will explore: How will people use their newfound longevity? How will a cyclic lifeplan replace the traditional linear model? How will aging boomers change established paradigms of work, leisure, learning, and retirement? What’s the most effective way to market and sell to “middlescent” boomers? And why is managing a four-generation workforce the new diversity mandate?

The New Alchemy of Travel: In Search of Peak Experiences

Amidst our current workaholic culture, there is an awakening appreciation for the immeasurable value of great times with friends and loved ones, the satisfaction of continued personal growth, and the excitement of encountering new people, places, and cultures. Fueled by the dual Boomer liberations of emptynesting and retirement and turbo-charged by Millennial FOMO, hundreds of millions of men and women worldwide are hoping to enjoy more “time affluence” than at any other point in history.

This dynamic new presentation explores the forces causing an unquenchable appetite for stimulating and nourishing “peak experiences” of every form and flavor—and uncovers the abundant opportunities for entrepreneurs and industry leaders who understand the new travel consumer.

- Longevity: more life, more time, more personal reinventions, more travel
- How the unprecedented “age wave” demographic phenomenon will both boost and transform the travel marketplace worldwide
- Why the “freedom zone” is now the most liberated and liberating time in life
- Life’s true valuables: the growing importance of experiences over things
- 5 trillion hours to fill: tapping the enormous “longevity economy”
- In search of “peak experiences” and how they can both be programmed and marketed

A Boomer/Millennial Smackdown

Dynamic father-son duo Ken and Zak Dychtwald will deliver an engaging, mind-stretching, and actionable session to envision the new characteristics, aspirations, hopes and fears of these two powerful generations. Ken’s lifelong pursuit to understand the attitudes and characteristics of what makes Boomers tick is fused with Zak’s experience and knowledge of the emerging Millennial mindset in this unique presentation.

Together they will explore these powerful generations as consumers—and how entrepreneurs and industry leaders who understand both can take full advantage of explosive growth in the years ahead.

- How Boomers and Millennials are different and how are they the same
- How Boomers and Millennials envision money, success, family, friends, work, and purpose
- The ideal role of tech in their lives
- How each group wants to have fun and peak experiences, with whom and where

Re-visioning Retirement: New Timing, New Purpose, New Planning, New Funding

The convergence of rising longevity, today’s uncertain economy, and widespread insufficient savings has reset the retirement clock. Yet highly acclaimed Age Wave research reveals that the new retirement could be a good thing—for individuals, the consumer marketplace, and financial planning professionals.
Why has financial peace of mind become far more important than wealth? How will women’s rising financial power transform the field of retirement planning? How will the demands of eldercare, sibling care, grandparenthood, singlehood, and “rehirement” impact retirement planning? This presentation will explore these questions and reveal how to safeguard a successful retirement while avoiding the five retirement “wildcards” that threaten to shatter dreams.

How Longevity Will Transform Health, Medicine, and Aging

Rising longevity and global population aging are radically altering both the demographic landscape and every dimension of health and healthcare.

This revealing glimpse into the future—led by one of our nation’s most recognized and respected authorities on longevity and the personal, marketplace, and societal implications of the age wave—dives deep into the questions that are transforming health and medicine in the 21st century.

- How long might we live?
- How will we spend our “longevity bonus” years?
- Will our later years be a time of health and vitality or illness and disability?
- What advances are needed in medical/nursing skills, preventative and rehab fitness, functional nutrition, and crowdsourced scientific advances to ensure that our healthspan matches our lifespan?
- Will super-longevity be purchasable on the open or black market?
- What will be the new purpose of elderhood?
- Will advances in healthcare be available for all or only the rich?

Testimonials

I have been learning from Ken Dychtwald for years and am convinced that he is today’s most innovative and original thinker on this important subject.
– President Jimmy Carter
Ken Dychtwald has a unique ability to blend cutting-edge social science and unrivaled knowledge about the marketing and workforce implications of the global age wave with world-class presentation showmanship. The response to his talks to our “Committee of 100” leadership has been tremendous and he has managed to earn the highest speaker ratings in our history of meetings. His presentation style is riveting, his knowledge base grows even stronger with the years and his understanding and insightful solutions are truly visionary. I highly recommend Ken Dychtwald to any organization seeking a show-stopping keynoter.
– Thomas J. Donohue, President and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
You have a real gift for communicating with others. On a scale of 100, you received an average score of 98%. Obviously, this is just about as close to being perfect as you can get. We have enjoyed many top-ranked speakers over the years, including Dr. Victor Frankel, Mother Teresa, David Brinkley, George Will, Chris Matthews, Cokie Roberts, Congressman Claude Pepper and Senator Ted Kennedy, but no one was ever better received than you.
– Val J. Halamandaris, President, National Association for Home Care and Hospice
Ken Dychtwald’s presentation to 500 of the most influential decision makers in the global travel industry was an overwhelming success. In an era of millennial mania; Ken combined cutting-edge demographic trends and entertaining messages to demonstrate that the Boomer and Millennial markets are not mutually exclusive and represent enormous economic power.
– Matthew Upchurch, CEO, Virtuoso, Ltd.
Ken’s keynote presentation for our Health Technologies Forum was off the charts. He is utterly smart, inspiring, and charming. In a word, it was ‘awesome’. A very tough act to follow.
– Dennis A. Robbins, PhD, MPH Technology and Innovation Board Member, American Heart Association
Our Retirement Income Summit is the financial services industry’s premier event for advisors seeking insights into helping investors achieve a successful future. Ken’s involvement made the Summit even more of a must-attend event, and his keynote presentation – an overview of important research findings and practical takeaways delivered with wit and style – was an overwhelming hit. We couldn’t have asked for more.
– Suzanne Siracuse, Publisher, InvestmentNews
Ken Dychtwald changed the way I view the future. In just one hour he unlocked truths so clear and powerful that they are shocking. His understanding of population demographics are utterly critical for any CEO, executive team or government leader to understand. Without it you will not be prepared for what is rapidly approaching – a set of massive changes that will fundamentally affect every aspect of our lives and every industry on Earth.
– Peter H. Diamandis, Chairman/CEO, X PRIZE Foundation & Executive Chairman, Singularity University
Ken Dychtwald’s remarkable ability to command an audience’s attention is unmatched. He presents complex and challenging material with clarity and leaves his audiences wanting more. As a speaker myself, I truly appreciate the preparation and research so evident in Ken’s presentations. No wonder he’s #1 in his space!
– Harvey Mackay, Author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Swim With The Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive
In addition to being a gifted social scientist and great and prolific writer on the topic of aging and retirement, Ken Dychtwald’s presentation and communication skills, and his ability to engage all forms of media are beyond impressive.
– Jay Wintrob, President and CEO, SunAmerica Financial Group
Your presentation and the discussion that followed were both interesting and enlightening and we appreciate your contributions. Many times people referred back to your presentation over the two day retreat.
– Dennis Glass, President and CEO, Lincoln Financial Group

Booksby Ken Dychtwald Ph.D.

Radical Curiosity: One Man's Search for Cosmic Magic and a Purposeful Life

What Retirees Want: A Holistic View of Life's Third Age

A New Purpose: Redefining Money, Family, Work, Retirement and Success

Influence: How Women's Soaring Economic Power Will Transform Our World for the Better

A Tale of New Beginnings: Gideon's Dream

The Power Years: A User's Guide to the Rest of Your Life

Age Power

Age Wave: How the Most Important Trend of Our Time Change Your Future

Cycles: How We Will Live, Work ad Buy

Body Mind

Workforce Crisis: How to Beat the Coming Shortage of Skills and Talent

Healthy Aging: Challenges and Solutions

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