August 29, 2006

An older, wiser work force

By ADELE WOODYARD

Researchers know the numbers on the changing nature of the work force:A recent poll by the AARP found that fully two-thirds of employees ages 50 to 70 planned to work in some capacity into their retirement years - or to not retire at all.In July, the multiagency Federal Forum on Aging-Related Statistics reported that in 2005 the number of men ages 65 to 69 in the work force had increased 34 percent over that number in 1993. The number of women still working between ages 65 and 69 had increased 24 percent over the numbers in 1985.But who are the people behind these statistics? Many live here in the bay area. Beyond the older folks you may see substitute teaching, bagging groceries or greeting shoppers are plenty of seniors in their second or even third careers.

Diving in, changing course

Before she became an assistant professor and assistant director for Academic Affairs at the University of South Florida's School of Aging Studies in Tampa, Dr. Sandra Reynolds was an executive with the Bank of Boston. Why the switch?Back then, she happened to read Age Wave: The Aging of the Baby Boomers by Ken Dychtwald. Recalls Reynolds:"It hit me between the eyes. I had never given any thought to what would happen to our social systems - Social Security, Medicare, etc. - when the baby boomers got there."Aware that the trust office she managed would be moved to a different location, Reynolds saw to it that her employees were placed elsewhere and then she left - left banking, left Boston.The Norwalk, Conn., native, now 56, said she spent "five wonderful years" studying at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. In May 1996 she was awarded a Ph.D. in gerontology, specializing in public policy. She joined USF three months later."The hardest part of making the transitions to grad school, then to an academic career," said Reynolds, "was that of going from being a known quantity to being someone unknown."

But for Jake Slater, the hardest part of retiring was simply not working."I didn't realize it would be so difficult to wind down," says Slater, who retired in 2003 as a captain in the Tampa Police Department. "I kept thinking, 'Why did I do that, when I'm only 51?' "The obvious answer was the one chosen by many in the military, law enforcement and a few similar occupations: They can retire, with decent pensions and benefits, after putting in 20 to 30 years.Slater, an Ohio native, moved to Florida to enroll in the University of Tampa in 1969. He promptly joined the police department after graduation in 1973.Then came his 30-year career in law enforcement. But after retiring, Slater grew restless. Consequently, on March 1, 2004, he began working for the city of Tampa in Code Enforcement, and just one month later he was appointed to his present position - business tax manager in the Revenue and Finance Division.That means he oversees collection of taxes from about 40,000 businesses. He said this is totally different from his years on the police force and added, "I'm learning a lot about the city I had not known before, and it's a great place to work."

Quitting, to start again

Whereas Slater and Reynolds are in their second careers, Joe LeGath, 67, figures he's on his third.After serving 20 years in the Army Corps of Engineers, evaluating the environmental impact on wetlands such as those bordering the Chesapeake Bay, the Milwaukee native retired in 1980.LeGath then went to work as an environmental studies analyst with the U.S. Department of Energy.Moving to Florida from Maryland in 1995, he worked for a small Miami company on a land-use study of nuclear plants, then took a job in St. Petersburg with the Center of Applied Engineering.That eventually brought him to his present position: manager of volunteer services for Pinellas County. He oversees the efforts of about 1,100 volunteers."Now I have the best job in Pinellas," said LeGath.

He might get an argument from Gerald "Jerry" Ramsberger, 81, who has a one-of-a-kind job in the bay area.As press box attendant for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Ramsberger needs to be at work about seven months a year - but not every day, because the Rays play 81 home games during their season. That flexibility gives him time to travel and play golf."When I retired in January 1998 after teaching government courses at St. Petersburg College for 30 years," relates Ramsberger, "one of my sons wanted to know what I was going to do with my time. I told him, 'Keep busy.' "Two weeks later, his son, who was then in management with the Rays' minor league team in Orlando, introduced Ramsberger to Rick Vaughn, the vice president of public relations for the major league Rays. Vaughn hired Ramsberger on the spot."I've been the press box attendant ever since," said Ramsberger, who served three years in Europe during WWII, then attended Notre Dame on a football scholarship, where he earned a master's degree in education.He moved to St. Petersburg as a teacher-coach at the newly opened Northeast High School before changing to another new high school, Boca Ciega, where he was a history teacher, athletic director and head football coach.Then came his decades at what was St. Petersburg Junior College, before moving into the press box."I thoroughly enjoy the job," says Ramsberger. While the game is under way, he provides statistical reports and answers questions from the media. He even makes sure the reporters, broadcasters and photographers have plenty of snacks.Said Ramsberger: "Working the games is an absolute pleasure."New job, familiar placeWhereas some seniors go out searching for a job, others don't have to look far.

Pauline Payton didn't hunt for her second career. Her job as full-time secretary at Bethel Community Baptist Church in St. Petersburg actually evolved from her work as a volunteer there.For 23 years the Tampa native had been in banking, rising from teller to corporate management with the title of Document Specialist. When she retired in 1992, Payton volunteered to help out in the office of her church. For about 18 months she took care of finances and membership. Then the regular secretary fell ill."They told me I knew all of the ins and outs of the church," Payton, 66, said with a laugh. "Knew the job without having to be trained." She accepted the job. That was 13 years ago, and she is still going strong. "Well, maybe" she added, "I'm going to let up a little."

Bill Bunting personifies the newer Sunbelt retiree.His full-time job in the New York City area was with the Sanitation Department, but he also owned a bar and restaurant. When he retired from the city job in 1988, Bunting moved to Florida and opened a gun shop, which he later sold.Now the 65-year-old New Port Richey resident is a state-certified firearms instructor. When he's not teaching paying clients how to shoot, Bunting donates his time to instruct children and their parents in the importance of gun safety, and he gives lessons in self-defense to battered women.