Over the past 30 years, Ken Dychtwald, Ph.D., has emerged as North America’s foremost visionary and original thinker regarding the lifestyle, marketing and workforce implications of the "age wave." He is a psychologist, gerontologist and author of thirteen books on aging-related issues, including Bodymind, Millennium: Glimpses into the 21st Century, Healthy Aging, Age Wave, and Age Power: How the 21st Century will be Ruled by the New Old. He has recently completed two new books, The Power Years: A User's Guide to the Rest of Your Life (with Daniel J. Kadlec), Leaving a Legacy (with Mark Zesbaugh and Catherine Fredman), and Workforce Crisis: How to Beat the Coming Shortage of Skills and Talent (with Tamara Erickson and Robert Morison). His article, “It's Time to Retire Retirement,” was awarded the prestigious McKinsey Award in the Harvard Business Review, tying for first place with the legendary Peter Drucker.
During his career, Dr. Ken Dychtwald has addressed more than two million people worldwide in his speeches to corporate, association and government groups, and his strikingly accurate predictions frequently receive prestigious national media coverage. His explorations and innovative solutions have fertilized and catalyzed a broad spectrum of industry sectors from vitamins and cookies to automotive design and retail merchandising to mutual funds and health insurance. A highly sought-after public speaker and consultant, he is consistently praised for his unique ability to blend cutting-edge social science and marketing wizardry with world-class presentation showmanship.
In 1986, in partnership with his wife, Maddy Dychtwald, Dr. Ken Dychtwald became the founding President and CEO of Age Wave, a firm created to guide Fortune 500 companies and government groups in product/service development for boomers and mature adults. In recent years, he has served as a fellow of the World Economic Forum and is the recipient of the distinguished American Society on Aging Award for outstanding national leadership in the field of aging. American Demographics Magazine honored him out as the single most influential marketer to baby boomers over the past quarter century. He was recently awarded the 2005 Infinity Award, the American Academy for Anti-Aging Medicine’s highest honor.
Through his sought-after presentations, his breakthrough research and consulting initiatives, and his leadership within both the social science and business communities, Ken Dychtwald has dedicated his life to battling ageist stereotypes while promoting a new and vital image of maturity. Ken, his wife Maddy, and their two children live in the San Francisco Bay area.