Retirement Isn’t the End: Finding Purpose in a Second Act
Jim Zenz and I recently spent time walking and talking through his new chapter—his retirement vocation as a Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame Ambassador and Great American Ball Park tour guide.
Jim and I go way back. He was an Enterprise Account Manager at Hewlett Packard Enterprise when I was CIO and later CEO at Standard Register. Jim always had a way of making you feel like you were his only customer.
That same presence has carried into this next phase of his life. The dialogue and the tour were fantastic. Jim has found real joy in his second act with the Reds and through his work with The Last Mile charity.
One moment stood out. We stopped at the statue of Hall of Famer, Joe Morgan. I told Jim I used to dream of playing shortstop while he was at second base. A bit of a dream but I did get to fist bump his statue.
As we walked, the conversation unfolded the way these often do—naturally and without any sense of time.
Common Threads
We both played shortstop in our early years
We both played soccer into our 40s
We’ve both stayed connected to childhood friends and the people who influenced us
Reflections from the Walk
We were teenagers during the 1975 World Series—Jim cheering for the Reds, me pulling for the Boston Red Sox. A great seven-game series, though every Big Red Machine highlight was a lowlight for me.
Jim remembered a quarterly update where I used his laser pointer—and made sure I had a new one.
We talked about our moms. His passed recently, mine long ago. But they remain a part of us each day.
Jim said it best: “We didn’t retire from something—we retired to something.”
Our conversation highlighted the significance of childhood memories, as well as the importance of curiosity and respect.
Thanks for the walk, Jim. I could’ve talked with you until sundown.
