Of Interest

NOWCC's Dr. Reaser retires... again

After 15 years of noteworthy service to NOWCC, five years on the Board of Directors and 10 years as a respected member of the staff, Dr. Joel Reaser is heading into a second retirement at the end of June.  Dr. Reaser’s initial foray into ‘retirement’ occurred in November 2001 when he retired after 17 years with AARP as the head of its SMaRT (Statistics, Methods and Research Technology) Department.  Those who know Joel where not surprised at the short duration of that hiatus when he joined the NOWCC staff four months later where his IT skills, experience with  applying technology to operations and commitment to creating opportunities for older workers were a timely match.

Dr. Reaser’s contributions to NOWCC, and to promoting the value of the older worker in the face of a changing workforce, were as diverse as his myriad interests.  Joel played leadership  roles in many areas within NOWCC, from leading the process of creating the first strategic plan for the organization to improving the enterprise-wide system to support the older workers who are the ‘enrollees’ in the grant programs we support for two federal agencies.  During one of his many speaking opportunities Joel connected with a federal manager in the audience who was interested in the skills and experience of older workers; their subsequent conversations resulted in the creation of the Agriculture Conservation Experienced Services (ACES) Program within the Department of Agriculture. 

By his nature and character, Joel also impacted the culture of NOWCC.  He served as a positive role model of an older worker himself, personally demonstrating the values of ‘experience’ and a multi-generational workforce.  His commitment to fitness (he lead the staff in the annual push-up contest he started) and an integrated and balanced work-life also challenged, in a positive manner, preconceived notions of his younger colleagues as well as those he met while promoting NOWCC. 

Though entering another ‘retirement’, Dr. Reaser has already lined-up new opportunities to continue to engage and give-back.  His perspectives and energy will be missed, but we know we will stay connected because of his deep commitment to addressing the challenges facing the older worker and a society just beginning to understand the potential of this new natural resource.