City of Montclair Township

What is your age and where were you born?  I’m 72 and Ken is 75.  Wendy: Manhattan, Ken: Brooklyn.

When did you move to Montclair?  We lived there from 1988 – 2006. After our children were grown, we moved to a townhouse community in West Orange. At that point, we no longer needed a big house, and since our kids were no longer in school, we didn't want to pay such high taxes.

Why did you move to Montclair? We were living in a two-bedroom apartment with one bathroom on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. When our second child was a preschooler, we felt needed more space. We visited friends in Montclair and fell in love with everything about the town—the homes, the natural beauty of the parks, the schools, the diversity, and the cultural ambiance. It was known as the Upper West Side of New Jersey. And it was a pretty easy commute to New York for our work.

Are you currently employed?  No. Wendy was laid off 8 years ago when the website where she worked was sold and the New York office was eliminated.  Ken retired around the same time.

If you had a career, what was it?  Wendy was a writer and editor. She worked at Mademoiselle, Parents Magazine, and Beliefnet.com, and wrote for the New York Times and other media. She edited a series of books on religion for Rodale. She still freelances as a writer and editor.

Ken has had 7 different careers! He began as a teacher in the South Bronx, was executive director of a number of social service agencies, became Commissioner for Economic Development of New York City, worked for an investment banking firm, started up a successful real estate development company, and, since 2004, has been a career and life coach. He also wrote two books on Michelangelo and co-authored a book on coaching with Wendy.

How are you currently engaged in the community?  In 2012  we started Grad Life Choices (www.gradlifechoices.com), a pro bono program that offers free career coaching to unemployed and underemployed college grads of limited means. We have about 100 certified volunteer coaches around the country whom we match with grads to help them find a path to fulfilling employment.  So far more than 400 grads have been helped by the program. We also wrote a book for grads, parents, and coaches called “Millennials in Wonderland.”

What organizations or clubs are you affiliated with or a member of?  We are members of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair. We’re also members of the Montclair Art Museum. Wendy has been in a wonderful Montclair book club with a great group of women for more than 20 years.

Have you done any volunteer work? If so what type and with what organization? Before starting Grad Life Choices, we tutored kids after school with the Succeed2gether program.

What else keeps you busy? We love going to visit our four grandchildren—two in Massachusetts and two in Maryland. We make a big effort to build our relationship with them and to help out our kids as much as possible. We also feel it’s important to be active politically to create a better future for all children.

What are some of the most important lessons you feel you have learned throughout your life? Wendy: To just listen with empathy and not try to jump in to solve problems, even with those you love. When I react out of anger or fear, the results aren’t good. I’ve been lucky to be married for 51 years to a guy who’s amazingly calm and compassionate. Some of it has rubbed off on me.

Ken: My first job was as Assistant Director of the Hudson Guild Neighborhood House in New York. I was fortunate to have a very kind and experienced boss, Dan Carpenter. He taught me that most of the time, when faced with what appears to be a "crisis," don't rush in but wait to see if it resolves itself. Most of the time it will. If it doesn’t resolve itself, when you determine the problem needs your action, be strong and decisive.

What is your mantra or words you live by?  Wendy: Hillary said something during the campaign that I liked. It turns out to be a quote from John Wesley, which my daughter gave me on a plaque. It reads in part: “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”

Ken: We are so fortunate to have been given the remarkable opportunity of being alive.  We should remember as best we can to be grateful and rejoice.

What are your plans for future? How does Montclair fit into these plans?  We plan to stay in the Montclair area as long as possible. It’s exactly halfway between our two children, so we can’t leave!