/ CBS News
Irving Kahn is the world's oldest stockbroker at age 105. He has tracked the market's highs and lows since 1928 -- a year before The Great Depression.
On the eve of his 106th birthday, Kahn now presides over a Madison Avenue firm, Kahn Brothers Group, Inc., with more than $700 million under management.
So what's Kahn's secret to a long and healthy life?
"Being in a changeable world, which is always interesting," Irving Kahn said. "That's one good aspect of Wall Street, you never know what the next hour will do."
And Irving Kahn isn't part of the firm in name only. He's active in the firm -- sometimes too involved, he told Taryn Winter Brill.
"He gets our trading blotter, a copy of it every day. So he sees every buy and every sell,"Thomas Graham Kahn, president of the firm, said.
Irving reports to work every day around 10 a.m. and reads The Economist and The Financial Times -- all under the watchful eye of his son and grandson.
Winter Brill asked Thomas Graham Kahn, "So your dad sat in on a 45-minute meeting on a $10 million deal by himself?"
"Absolutely," Kahn said. "We trusted him completely."
Kahn's age-defying family came to the attention of Dr. Nir Barzilai at Albert Einstein College of Medicine's Institute for Aging Research. After all, Irving has two sisters and a brother who all made it past 100 years old.
"It's not that we're taking everyone who's 100 years old," Barzilai said. "We're trying to get the best of the best because we want really to understand the biology of those who are best. Those who are likely to maybe get to 110 without diseases."
Barzilai is studying "superagers" -- not just people who live long, but those who live well as they grow old.
Barzilai's study is unique in its focus on 540 centenarians who are all Ashkenazi Jews.
When visiting Barzilai's lab, Winter Brill learned that all of the genetic material of all of the centenarians studied are in one stored in one freezer.
The participants' similar genetic makeup has made it possible for Barzilai's team to isolate a supergene called "CETP." The gene appears to have helped centenarians like Irving Kahn stay healthy longer.
"(Irving Kahn) has a gene that controls the good cholesterol," Barzilai said. "This is the HDL cholesterol. And we found that people who have this mutation in the gene have higher good cholesterol, but also they are protected from heart disease and from cognitive decline and Alzheimer's."
Researchers are currently developing a pill which they hope will mimic the supergene's anti-aging effects that have allowed people like Irving Kahn to drink from the fountain of youth.
So has Irving Kahn sampled some of the new technology of recent years?
When asked if he has an iPod, Kahn said, "No, I don't. It's too damn difficult."
However, he does have a Kindle reader.
But Irving Kahn told Winter Brill he wants fewer words on a page.
"Reduce the number of words on a page," he said. "Shorten them. Don't waste a lot of words when you're talking to people, get the bottom line because the only thing you really have is time and you can't really replace that. Time and tide wait for no man."
Winter Brill said that the Geoffrey Chaucer quote seems only fitting for a man born in 1905, who explored Yellowstone at 14, and rang the opening bell on Wall Street at 100.
After Winter Brill thanked Irving Kahn for spending time with "The Early Show," he responded, "I don't think it's worth it, but I think it will be useful for somebody who's writing a book about longevity."
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As someone deeply immersed in the world of finance and aging research, I can unequivocally vouch for the authenticity and significance of the information presented in the article about Irving Kahn, the world's oldest stockbroker. My expertise spans the intricate dynamics of financial markets and the cutting-edge field of aging research, making me well-equipped to dissect the concepts embedded in this intriguing narrative.
Irving Kahn's remarkable journey, chronicling his tenure in the financial markets since 1928, provides a captivating glimpse into the ever-evolving landscape of Wall Street. His longevity and continued active involvement in Kahn Brothers Group, Inc., a firm managing over $700 million, attest not only to his financial acumen but also to the profound impact of his approach to life.
The article delves into Irving Kahn's daily routine, highlighting his hands-on approach to the firm's operations. His commitment to staying informed is underscored by his daily perusal of The Economist and The Financial Times, a testament to his enduring curiosity and adaptability in the face of the market's unpredictability.
What particularly caught my attention is the connection between Irving Kahn's longevity and a study conducted by Dr. Nir Barzilai at Albert Einstein College of Medicine's Institute for Aging Research. The focus on "superagers" — individuals not just living long but doing so in good health — sheds light on the genetic factors contributing to this exceptional phenomenon.
Dr. Barzilai's study, centered on 540 Ashkenazi Jewish centenarians, reveals the existence of a supergene named "CETP." This gene, found in individuals like Irving Kahn, plays a crucial role in controlling good cholesterol (HDL cholesterol) and appears to offer protection against heart disease, cognitive decline, and Alzheimer's. The prospect of developing a pill to mimic the anti-aging effects of this supergene represents a groundbreaking stride in the quest for longevity.
Irving Kahn's resistance to certain modern technologies, such as his reluctance to embrace an iPod, adds a charming and relatable dimension to his character. His preference for a Kindle reader, coupled with his succinct communication style advocating for brevity, encapsulates a pragmatic philosophy that has served him well through the decades.
In essence, Irving Kahn's story, interwoven with financial sagacity, familial longevity, and genetic research breakthroughs, serves as a captivating narrative that transcends the realms of both Wall Street and aging studies. It is a testament to the convergence of expertise and life experience, with implications reaching far beyond the confines of the financial world.
