The Baby Boomer retirement crisis has been like a guillotine poised over the heads of IT executives for a couple of years now. I’ve seen reams and reams of research papers, white papers, press releases and vendor pitches on how to deal with this crisis. We’re all waiting for the so-called brain drain to strike. Analysts and vendors are offering up oodles of good advice on how to prepare for it.

First, there is the advice on how to identify which parts of your organizations are at risk. Then there is the advice on how to make sure you retain the business knowledge and legacy technology skills that these retirees will take with them. Then there is the research on how to find replacement labor in a world where universities are producing fewer and fewer technologists.

But is the brain drain happening yet?

I’ve also read that many Baby Boomers are planning to work past retirement age. I’ve talked to several former CIOs who retired in their early sixties, yet they continue to work part time or full time as consultants. One fellow I talked to recently retired in his mid-sixties from his position as CIO of a government agency, and he planned to start a small consultancy to keep himself busy with part-time work. Before he knew it, another government agency in crisis came calling and he was working as an interim CIO for half a year.

The first Boomers are turning 62 this year. Fifty years ago, 62 was considered pretty old. These days, 62-year-olds are starting third careers.

So my question is this: Are any of you starting to lose Baby Boomers to retirement? What sort of business knowledge and legacy skills are they taking with them? And how are you dealing with it?

I’d love to hear from you. Write me at smcgillicuddy@techtarget.com.