Two years ago, McDonald Davis III confronted a classic problem for many veteran executives. He had spent much of his engineering career at Philip Morris, including stints as a senior project leader. But the company was downsizing its middle-management ranks. Davis was one of 2,100 executives offered early retirement. He thought it was a good deal, so he took it. Even so, he was a relatively young 53 and had plenty of energy left. He didn’t want to spend the coming years simply recreating or working on his amateur radio and electronics.

McDonald Davis III, who retired from Philip Morris, now teaches information systems at the University of Richmond. Photo by Mark Rhodes

So Davis turned to teaching. His career gave him a wealth of practical experience. He happened to have an MBA and a Ph.D. in information systems. And he had some teaching experience. He was able to sidestep a familiar roadblock that keeps some experienced executives from teaching in colleges because they lack higher degrees or haven’t followed a strict academic tenure track. Davis quickly found a teaching slot at the University of Richmond. "I do it because I enjoy it primarily," says Davis, an adjunct professor who teaches information systems. "It comes pretty easy for me."

Many are waiting to follow in Davis’ footsteps. One reason is that executives are retiring earlier, and not all are ready for day after day of the golf course or the hammock. While some do start new professional careers, most are at least in their mid-50s and don’t have the inclination to embark on an entirely new enterprise. They want to teach.

Universities are usually happy to have them, and demand is high for seasoned professionals, says Daniel Polsby, associate dean for the George Mason School of Law. Career teaching professionals, he says, will always remain the backbone of academia. These are people who have "dedicated their lives to acquiring, teaching and publishing research," he says. But bringing in people with work experience in their specific fields is crucial. "Most schools feel strongly that you need both," Polsby says.

One key example of an individual coming over from the executive side is Thomas MacAvoy. For more than 16 years, MacAvoy served as president of Corning Inc., a global producer of glass products based in Corning, N.Y. MacAvoy was retiring, and the Darden Graduate School of Business at the University of Virginia began courting him in earnest.

That was something of a switch for the Darden School, which had long brought in executives to lecture or teach a course or two but didn’t routinely invite them to teach permanently. Only a few years ago, it began to look at these professionals with a more discerning eye. That was just about the time MacAvoy showed up on Darden’s radar. "While Thomas MacAvoy was considering retiring, a colleague indicated that he would be a great resource, not just as a speaker, but as a member of the faculty," says Robert Landel, McWane Professor of Business Administration with the Darden School. "It brings the basis of experience that the typical faculty member can’t duplicate," he says.

MacAvoy wasn’t exactly a novice teacher. Originally a chemist, he had served in the Air Force as a munitions instructor during the Korean War. He then joined Corning in 1957 as a chemist and shifted from science to management when he became a vice president and general manager in 1966. "I was always in the position of explaining how technology worked to the business people and how business worked to the technical people," he says. MacAvoy also always thought teaching would be a fun thing to do. When it came time to retire, he didn’t have any pipe dreams of spending his spare time relaxing. "I knew I wanted to retire when I was 60, and I didn’t want to sit on the porch and I don’t play golf," he says.

He started at the Darden School teaching information and technology management with Landel. "Teaching is a skill, just like anything else," he says. "It has to be learned." MacAvoy did most of the teaching, but Landel was there to coach him. After about two years, he taught the course solo until about a year ago. "Then I retired from teaching at that level," MacAvoy says. But the 72-year-old still isn’t ready for the porch swing. He’s teaching management of strategic alliances, a week-long course for executives. "I’ve retired, that makes twice now," he says. "But I’m still at it."

For some with executive-level experience, teaching is a requisite of their profession. Take William B. Jones. A lawyer by profession, Jones practiced law until 1962, when he was offered a position with the State Department. The career diplomat spent 22 years in the Foreign Service, where he eventually was appointed ambassador to Haiti. Jones served overseas for seven years. When he returned, his next "assignment" was as diplomat in residence at Hampton University. It wasn’t a duty he would have chosen for himself, although it turned into a boon. "The Department of State has a policy that if you’ve served overseas for a number of years, they send you to a university," Jones recalls. "I was required to do it. I found out that I enjoyed it very much. ... I enjoy dealing with smart, young people."

When Jones retired from the State Department in 1984, the University of Virginia offered him a position as ambassador in residence. Three years later, he actually joined the service again, serving as the staff director of the House Foreign Affairs, Western Hemisphere Subcommittee. But having had a taste of teaching, he couldn’t get it out of his system. In 1991 he resumed teaching, this time at Hampden-Sydney College. Today, Jones is still teaching, spending the fall semesters at Hampden-Sydney and spring semesters at Pepperdine University in California. His classes include American foreign policy, introduction to common law and African-American culture and politics.

The benefits of Jones’ teaching run two ways. Interacting with students helps keep him on his toes. And the students get the benefit of his experience. "I can access things based on what actually happened," Jones says. "Students need to be exposed to practical experience as well as textbook learning." Jones is impressed by the caliber of his students, he says. "I’ve had a lot of my students go on to high positions in government and journalism. A lot of students go on to law school." Jones is enjoying his new vocation so much that he plans to continue. "I’m not retiring in the next several years," he says.