‘Why would you want to [retire]?’

ENERGY FROM YOUTH: Ronald K. Machtley, president of Bryant University, speaks in his office. Machtley, 67, says being around young people has proven invigorating and rewarding. / PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO
ENERGY FROM YOUTH: Ronald K. Machtley, president of Bryant University, speaks in his office. Machtley, 67, says being around young people has proven invigorating and rewarding. / PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

So he asked his father, Ken, now 96, about it.

” ‘Why would you want to do that?’ “Machtley recalled his father asking. “Few people wake up in the morning and love what they’re doing. If you can still make a contribution and love what you’re doing, why not continue?”

At 67, Machtley gets up early to play squash twice a week, plays golf in the summer, uses a stand-up desk and walks between meetings to log FitBit’s recommended 10,000 steps a day.

“I’ve always been a person who’s very busy,” added Machtley. “I never thought I’d just go sit on the porch and periodically play golf and solitaire. I’ve always worked out. That’s the way I can relieve stress.”

- Advertisement -

Retirement is not uncommon in the education industry, particularly for college presidents, whose tenures are marked by intense pressure meeting the needs of students, faculty, alumni and trustees, Machtley said. Leading a university such as Bryant for 20 years is a “fairly rare” achievement, he said.

“The average life expectancy of a college president in the U.S. is about 6½ years,” he said. “It’s a very demanding job. … I have seen over the years some presidents don’t pace themselves and burn out. Some step on land mines, and there are plenty of those.

“Some go back and teach. That’s a wonderful benefit for some who just want to step back from the hustle.”

Living on campus and interacting with young people, who live in the present and “think they’re going to live forever,” has proven invigorating and rewarding, Machtley said.

The current U.S. presidential race reflects the type of extreme pressure older people with more experience are actually quite capable of handling, Machtley said – since the definition of pressure often depends on the person dealing with it.

Remaining effective while staying active as one gets older means “being able to pace yourself with decision-making, so you don’t put yourself under more stress than is necessary,” he said. Machtley and his wife, Katie, also try and balance their working and private lives, he added.

“My wife and I both work in the same office and live on campus, became grandparents and have a second grandchild coming,” he said. “We try and have time together. It’s a constant assessment.” •

No posts to display