Aris Economopoulos, HBA ’11, connects retirees with corporate contract work.
Aris Economopoulos had immediate success applying what he learned at Ivey to roles in investment banking, corporate litigation, and venture capital. But he felt there was something lacking. An extremely gratifying volunteer experience he’d had at Western teaching computer skills to seniors “planted a seed to help others benefit from what I do well,” he says.
Through an Ivey connection, Economopoulos was introduced to Rick Emberley, the founder of Halifax-based BoomersPlus, a company that unites retired baby boomers who have corporate experience with employers who can use their expertise on short-term contracts, either full or part time.
His credentials in finance and entrepreneurship made him an ideal candidate to expand the service from the Maritimes into the much larger Ontario market. As Toronto-based Acting Chief Executive Officer, Economopoulos promotes the service through professional associations, retirement organizations, and an advice-filled website.
He estimates there are thousands of boomers with extensive business experience retiring every month in Canada. “Most of them aren’t actively looking for work, but also don’t want to completely retire – and would happily respond to a tap on the shoulder.”
It’s a niche whose time has come, he says. In the past, it’s been more difficult to find quality contract roles that last between six months and two years because most other executive recruiters don’t find handling such short-term placements are lucrative enough.
The BoomersPlus service is free for experienced professionals. It charges a flat fee to employers for vetting candidates and connecting those who fit a position’s selection criteria. The service that now operates in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Ontario is eyeing expansion into other provinces.
“We bring together boomers’ desires to find fulfilling shorter-term engagements with employers’ pains of losing quality talent in droves. It’s a win for everyone,” Economopoulos says.
Photo: Nation Wong
Art Direction: Greg Salmela, Aegis
