Richard C. King | 81 | Chairman-Founder, King International Group; Chairman, Go Green Solutions

Why not retire?

I’ve never had a job. I’ve always been on a mission: to be a business bridge between the U.S. and Asia, and to enhance the quality of life on the planet. I have simply built businesses around that mission and will continue to do so.

Does your spouse want you to retire?

She knows that retirement is not in my vocabulary and, actually, the subject is never discussed.

Are you up to date on technology?

My son calls me Neanderthal Man when it comes to technology. I do e-mail, have a cell phone and surf the net once in a while. But I do not get involved in the social networking sites. One of my priorities is to be able to utilize technology more and more in my personal life, such as banking and shopping.

What advice would you give to people who want to work well past 65?

It could very well be that your most productive, fulfilling and happy years could be after 65. You might find new outlets for your skills, new directions for your life and be of even greater service to society.

What’s the best advice you ever got?

I worked for the Kaiser organization early in my business career and had exposure to Henry Kaiser, the founder. He emphasized that there is no such thing as failure and that excellent failure will be rewarded. He also taught me that the word “problem” should not be in my vocabulary, and that I should substitute the word “opportunity.”

Do you work as much as you used to in your 40s and 50s?

My mind is as active as it was during my 40s and 50s, but I direct my energies differently than I did when I was younger. I go to my office about three days a week and work two days from home. I have also cut down on my extensive foreign travel and make fewer trips to China and Japan.

What do you miss from when you were young?

I miss the ability to participate in sports that I enjoy, such as tennis, basketball and baseball. I also miss the friendship and companionship of many of my young friends, who I grew up with, who have not been as fortunate as I have been and their spirits have passed on. And I miss the uninhibited lifestyle of the young – the mobility, the unending physical energy, the ability to occasionally party all night and still go to work in the morning.