In this era, governments are more far removed from the predominance of societies past. From crude tribal hierarchies, civilization has undergone major upheavals, fashioning democracies, monarchies, and dictatorships the world over.

Quite consistently, history has shown us leaders who chose to withdraw from their calling in public service by retiring to sedentary lifestyles. Others, however, choose to embark on new chapters, many times by crossing over to business.

One case in point is Albert Arnold Gore Jr., former Vice President of the United States turned celebrity environmentalist. From 1993 to 2000, Al Gore served as America’s 45th Vice President, presiding over the Senate and working closely with President Bill Clinton as economic secretary and National Security Council member.

When Clinton’s term ended in 2000, Al Gore raced to the presidency against his Republican counterpart George W. Bush. Although he was defeated, Al Gore reinvented himself thereafter as a highly lauded environmental advocate. He is even a Nobel Laureate recognized for spreading awareness about climate change. On top of that, he garnered an Academy Award for his 2007 global warming documentary, An Inconvenient Truth. Since 2006, he has chaired the nonprofit motive Alliance for Climate Protection, which he also founded.

Concurrent with his green activism, Al Gore has maintained several notable business interests. Shortly after leaving politics, he vice-chaired the asset management company Metropolitan West Financial from 2001 to 2003. He went on to jointly found two businesses, Generation Investment Management in 2004, and Current in 2005.

Generation Investment Management is a “sustainable” investment firm. Therefore, its portfolio shows only companies with admirable environmental records like General Electric, Staples, Johnson Controls, Autodesk, Whole Foods, Aflac, Becton Dickinson, Blackbaud, and Northern Trust Corp. Current is a teen-oriented cable and satellite television network currently with 38 million subscribers.

Apple Inc. has, since 2003, entrusted Al Gore with board duties, particularly in the compensation, nominating, and corporate governance committees. Google Inc. also made him one of their senior advisers.

In 2007, Al Gore partnered with venture capitalist firm Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers to invest in technologies committed to resolving the climate crisis.

One of Al Gore’s contemporaries in the White House also delved into business following a political line of work. She is Madeleine K. Albright, the first female Secretary of State in the United States, and as such, one of only three highest-ranked women in the history of American government.

America’s former top diplomat spent her term modifying NATO and tackling sensitive foreign affairs like the conflict in the Balkans and resurgent nuclear aggression in Russia. Before her cabinet post, she served as the US’ Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

Now, Madeleine Albright serves as principal for The Albright Group LLC, a consultancy firm she founded in 2001 in Washington D.C. It has since serviced companies like Coca-Cola and Merck. Likewise, she is the chairwoman of its affiliate, Albright Capital Management LLC.

Formerly, Madeleine Albright served on the board of NYSE Euronext, Inc. She once sat on the board of the Council on Foreign Relations, Inc. She also used to be the chairperson of The Aspen Institute’s board of trustees, The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, and the Pew Global Attitudes Project. In addition, she has served as the Truman Scholarship Foundation president.