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Independence, MO —
At 63, Jerry Jensen has turned his back on the notion of retirement.
Instead, he views his life as getting up in the morning and going in to work, knowing that when he returns home in the evening, he’s made a difference.
“The older you get, the more important it is, I think, to have some emotional rewards for your efforts,” said Jensen, who began his role as the new president and CEO of Community Services League on Jan. 2. “Earlier in your life, sometimes, the rewards were monetary, and sometimes they were promotions, but it seems like the older you get, the more important it is to make sure that what you do is meaningful.
“I like to work, and I like to get things done. As long as I’m able to get things done and have a positive outcome for my efforts, I’m going to keep working.”
Most recently, for seven years, Jensen served as president and CEO of Siskin Children’s Institute in Chattanooga, Tenn., a nonprofit organization that is involved in serving children with developmental delays. He was credited with developing and implementing a vision for the institute, making it a multifaceted organization that includes a research center.
In making the transition to CSL, Jensen said he was first attracted to the nonprofit because of its mission and potential emotional rewards for those involved in its work.
“I was looking for a job that would give me a lot of satisfaction,” he said. “At this point in my career, it’s a way to give back a little bit. The older you get, it seems like the more important it is to try to make things better.”
Other crucial elements for Jensen included working at a nonprofit with a strong board of directors, broad community support and a history. Again, he found all three in CSL, which is celebrating its 97th year in 2013.
In and out of an economic recession, funding is an issue at nonprofit organizations, Jensen said, “but when times are hard, there are still people who step up. When some people are down, there are other people to help pick them up.”
A caring community, he said, has kept CSL going for nearly a century. To keep moving forward, CSL staff and the board of directors are now developing a new strategic plan. Personally, Jensen said he would like to see caring for those who’ve fallen upon hard times to become “second nature.”
At 63, Jerry Jensen has turned his back on the notion of retirement.
Instead, he views his life as getting up in the morning and going in to work, knowing that when he returns home in the evening, he’s made a difference.
“The older you get, the more important it is, I think, to have some emotional rewards for your efforts,” said Jensen, who began his role as the new president and CEO of Community Services League on Jan. 2. “Earlier in your life, sometimes, the rewards were monetary, and sometimes they were promotions, but it seems like the older you get, the more important it is to make sure that what you do is meaningful.
“I like to work, and I like to get things done. As long as I’m able to get things done and have a positive outcome for my efforts, I’m going to keep working.”
Most recently, for seven years, Jensen served as president and CEO of Siskin Children’s Institute in Chattanooga, Tenn., a nonprofit organization that is involved in serving children with developmental delays. He was credited with developing and implementing a vision for the institute, making it a multifaceted organization that includes a research center.
In making the transition to CSL, Jensen said he was first attracted to the nonprofit because of its mission and potential emotional rewards for those involved in its work.
“I was looking for a job that would give me a lot of satisfaction,” he said. “At this point in my career, it’s a way to give back a little bit. The older you get, it seems like the more important it is to try to make things better.”
Other crucial elements for Jensen included working at a nonprofit with a strong board of directors, broad community support and a history. Again, he found all three in CSL, which is celebrating its 97th year in 2013.
In and out of an economic recession, funding is an issue at nonprofit organizations, Jensen said, “but when times are hard, there are still people who step up. When some people are down, there are other people to help pick them up.”
A caring community, he said, has kept CSL going for nearly a century. To keep moving forward, CSL staff and the board of directors are now developing a new strategic plan. Personally, Jensen said he would like to see caring for those who’ve fallen upon hard times to become “second nature.”
“It’s a new day. We want this organization to be as impactful as it can be,” Jensen said. “It’s going to require help from others to be more impactful, and we’re going to be trying to get those people to help us, in one way or another. We’re going to try to help build better communities.”
Giving back to the community also is important for Jensen’s wife, Patty, who is a native of Raytown. She was previously an educator in the Lee’s Summit School District, and now Patty is the vice principal of Garfield Elementary School in the Kansas City School District.
“We can both take our retirements and stay home and do those things, but what fun is that?” Jensen said, laughing. “My wife says I’ll work until the day I die. You can say it’s work, but if it’s something you enjoy, it’s not really work.”
