NextAge Speakers Bureau

G. Richard "Dick" Ambrosius
President, Positive Aging

Dick was specializing in marketing to older adults long before it was trendy. He began his career in the field of aging in 1976 as Director of an Area Agency on Aging in Iowa, which became nationally recognized as a model of creative fund raising and innovative programs.

In 1978, he received a contract from the Farmers Home Administration to plan and coordinate a National Strategy Conference on Rural Aging Issues, testified before both houses of Congress and authored a widely disseminated Conference Strategy Report for the Carter Administration. Dick was appointed by President Ronald Reagan as the youngest member of the National Advisory Committee to the 1981 White House Conference on Aging; and has testified before Congress on several occasions.

In 1983, he founded Phoenix Systems, a company specializing in research and marketing to those in life’s second half using an approach he called “Positive Aging.” He was among the first consultants in the nation to specialize in the maturing market and to aggressively counter aging stereotypes through his articles, lectures and workshops. His work resulted in recognition by Entrepreneur magazine as South Dakota’s 1997 Entrepreneur of the Year.

In 1999, he was recruited by a Florida developer to help create a new brand of ‘retirement’ community and reposition a “planned green field” community that had experienced negative sales growth for 12 months. The model he helped create, the Life Fulfilling Community®, resulted in two “green field” communities marketing to 70% deposits in less than 20 months. The community with negative growth was repositioned and reached 70% deposits in 26 months. He resigned from that company in 2004; and was recruited by The Freshwater Group of Tucson, Arizona as a consultant to help create an innovative community model grounded in lifelong learning and the 7 Dimensions of Well Being.

Dick is the author of a variety of articles, educational materials, books and booklets, such as: The Art of the Positive, Choices & Changes...a primer on life planning, The Art of the Possible, Marketing is Not a Four-letter Word, Changing Directions...a values-centered sales and marketing system; and co-author of Aging is a Series of Many Beginnings.

In 1993, he joined Ageless Marketing author David B. Wolfe as a co-founder of The Society, a mature market think tank group, and continues to coordinate their semi-annual meetings. Dick is recognized as a humorous, witty, energized motivational speaker who has educated, motivated, entertained thousands in 49 states.

Possible presentations include:

Of Pachyderms & Paradigms... embracing the power of Positive Aging – This workshop focuses on attitude and individual self esteem as keys to personal and organizational success while setting new standards for quality customer service. Storytelling is used to explode aging myths and explore self-fulfilling prophecies that prevent people from being all they can be. Audiences are challenged to redefine aging in terms of lifelong learning and the Dimension of Well Being. This is a favorite of Baby Boomers and older audiences.
Majority Rules... new rules & new tools for success in an aging marketplace – For several decades, businesses have been both victims of and contributed to aging stereotypes. Sales, marketing and advertising methods honed in the youth markets of yesterday have become outdated and are no longer producing an acceptable return on investment. If you are tired of getting a smaller and smaller return on your advertising and marketing dollars, you will want to experience Majority Rules...New Rules and New Tools for doing business in an aging world. You will come away with a new excitement about the future and want to join a movement dedicated to reversing decades of ageism and negative stereotyping while building business. The presentation will use case studies, examples, cutting-edge research and audience involvement to increase the learning experience and have some fun.

CHOICES & CHANGES... a primer on life planning – Presentation helps middle age and older adults discover how stereotypes, outdated theories, manipulations of statistical data, and factoids about baby boomers and older consumers can become self-fulfilling prophecies and reduce their life expectancies. Life Plans are one way to help people get the most from life through positive, proactive planning and addressing all dimensions of well being. The workshop will detail the damage done to both health and memory by negative aging stereotypes and how to counter them. The workshop also shares the incredible impact the Power of Positive Aging can have on one’s health and well-being.

  For a full Press Kit, interviews or photos please contact:

  G. Richard Ambrosius
  11797 N. Mesquite Hollow Drive
  Oro Valley, AZ 85737
  Phone: (520) 544-3005
  Cell: (520) 403-8377
  Fax: (520) 544-3009
  ambro@positiveaging.com