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Utah Developer, 102, Named America’s Oldest Worker

Spectrum staff

Dr. Russell Clark, a 102-year-old real estate developer and retired physician, has received the annual America’s Oldest Worker award from Experience Works, an employment service for seniors.

Clark, who lives in Orem, Utah, manages an industrial park and other real estate investments, and also does volunteer work, Experience Works said in a press release.

“Continuing to work keeps the mind sharp and the body healthy, which aids in maintaining a positive attitude,” Clark said in the release.

“Dr. Clark is a wonderful role model for those who believe that age should not be a barrier to making significant contributions to society,” said Andrea Wooten, president of Experience Works. “He continues to have such a positive impact on his community that he is an inspiration for all of us.”

Clark’s life has been a blend of career interests, church service and family. His first career as a physician and surgeon spanned 60 years. He has been investing in real estate since the 1950s and shifted his focus to managing those investments when he retired from practicing medicine.

Clark gives back to his community through donations, the award sponsor noted. For example, to celebrate his 100th birthday, he established a scholarship fund at the University of Utah School of Medicine to benefit medical students.

The honoree will be 103 in November.

The sponsor does not give repeat awards to past winners who continue working, and does not use a scientific method for finding winners, so Clark may not actually be the oldest person currently working in the United States.

Still, Wooten said the awards serve a useful purpose.

“Our older generation is a precious resource that we must nurture, cultivate, and tap,” she said. “By honoring older individuals and employers … we hope to encourage more employers to seek the talents and skills that older workers bring to the workplace.”

In addition to honoring America’s Oldest Worker, Experience Works also recognized employers for recruiting, training and retaining older workers. This year’s winners include Marriott Guest Services & MVCI Owner Services of Salt Lake City, Utah; Massachusetts Institute of Technology of Cambridge, Mass.; and Vita Needle Co. of Needham, Mass.

Experience Works is a national, nonprofit organization that provides training and employment services for older workers. The organization was established in 1965 as Green Thumb, and was renamed Experience Works in 2002.