INTERVIEWS
| — | Our Executive Director An Interview with Jane Nyce, Executive Director |
| — | Our New President An Interview with Tom Ferguson |
Our Executive Director
Lives Up to Her Name
An Interview with Jane Nyce, Executive Director,
Staying Put in New Canaan, December, 2007
In getting to know Staying Put's new Executive Director, Jane Nyce, one quickly discovers that she lives up to her name, which is pronounced "nice".
She also has a merry twinkle in her eye, a good sense of humor and a compassionate personality. She is someone that all members and potential members will feel comfortable with in discussing their personal situations and needs, including financial assistance. The vision of the board of directors is that Staying Put should be available for everyone in the New Canaan community who is interested in joining.
"We are delighted to discuss financial aid to people who feel they have limited resources. Because we are not a town based organization, we can be more flexible in our guidelines. Staying Put has a special membership program where the dues are $100 a year," says Jane.
Membership Update: Jane reported that as of January 22, Staying Put has 133 households and 192 members. Also rewarding is the fact that 100 volunteers have already signed up! A wonderful example of neighbors helping neighbors in New Canaan.
We asked Jane:
Q: What kinds of requests have you received so far?
A: I've had calls from members who need grab bars installed in bathrooms, who need help picking up their mail on icy days, who would like a weekly visit from a companion, and we've had requests for plumbers, electricians, carpenters and help finding a physical therapist. One member wondered if we have "someone young enough to catch the cat and put him in his cage for a vet visit." Many want to know if we
really have a good handyman. The answer to all these members is "YES!"
"Everybody's joining for a different reason and I really need to get to know what their expectations are for Staying Put and what we can do for them."
Q: What is most unique about Staying Put in New Canaan versus other similar organizations such as Beacon Hill Village in Boston, the original model?
A: Beacon Hill Village is urban, the homesites are vertical. New Canaan is suburban - the town is horizontal. Transportation is a key factor. That's why we want to work with Getabout to see what options there are to provide additional transportation services. We're delighted that our volunteer pool includes many potential drivers for Staying Put, a good mix of men and women, so we can stay flexible in meeting members needs. (A driver's own auto insurance is sufficient for this role.)
Q: Are all services now ready to go?
A: Yes, although members need to understand the first few months may be something of a shakedown cruise. We're set with: Home Maintenance and Repair, In-Home Technical Support, Transportation, Social Events and Health Care. (Members will receive reduced rates for several categories of assistance from Nursing & Home Care of Wilton and the Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care of Stamford.)
Included are special events for Staying Put members, beginning with our Launch Party in January. Also on the docket are events in February (dinner and movie in town) and March (the Stamford Symphony) with more to come in the months ahead.
"I do know we will not anticipate all the questions. I'll be on the edge of my seat every day!" she says.
Jane's summer 2007 internship with Staying Put proved that she was the ideal candidate for the job of Executive Director, winning over many other candidates presented through a three month search by a well known area executive recruitment firm.
A Smith College alumna with doctoral studies in psychology at Cornell, Jane first worked in consumer research, marketing and consulting. Her experience in caring for aging family members prompted a career change and inspired her to pursue a degree in health advocacy at Sarah Lawrence. She speaks of having seen "the effort it takes to stay healthy and confident in your ability to keep your home running smoothly and safely as you grow older," and she is committed to supporting seniors on an individual basis, after having come to know them personally. Staying Put president Tom Towers praises her talents and warmth. "There doesn't seem to be anything Jane can't do. She's wonderful with people, and we're just incredibly lucky to have her on board."
Now that Staying Put has officially begun its membership services, New Canaan will discover the difference Jane can make in many lives, and what a pleasure it will be.
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An Interview with the President of Staying Put in New Canaan, February, 2009
Our new President of Staying Put, Tom Ferguson, seems uniquely qualified for his new role, with diverse experience consulting in human resources, insurance and healthcare. Prior to retiring in 2002, Tom spent 15 years with Mercer Human Resources Consulting, where he was a Worldwide Partner and the Northeast Regional Leader of the firm's healthcare and benefits practice. His consulting assignments spanned a range of issues including employee benefit strategy and design, retiree medical issues and managed care. His clients included Verizon, GTE, Eli Lilly, Unisys, PepsiCo and General Electric. From 1969 through 1987 Tom worked at Equitable Life in a variety of actuarial and management roles including seven years as Vice President of Marketing for the group health insurance division.
Tom has served as Vice President of Staying Put since its inception in 2007, and he is also a director of the United Way of New Canaan and serves on the Town of New Canaan Health and Human Services Commission. An avid tennis player, he is treasurer of the Lake Club.
Tom and his wife Karen have lived in New Canaan since 1987. Karen, now retired, had a career in banking, most recently as a senior banker in the Citigroup Private Bank. Tom and Karen met while attending Brown University where Tom received a B.S. in Applied Mathematics in 1967. Their son Matthew, now a NY attorney, attended Saxe Middle School and graduated from New Canaan High School in 1994.
When Tom heard about the formation of a committee to launch Staying Put, he volunteered his help and quickly became involved in a major way. He notes that the dues charged for Staying Put membership amount to about half the cost of running the organization and providing services. In order to retain low membership fees (in relation to similar organizations on the East coast), he says "we'll need the generosity of citizens and foundations to supplement our dues. We want more people to join."
"A large population of our people over 60 should join", he continues. "They'll find we are very inclusive. Also, we really do want to identify people in need and support them with scholarships, which are totally confidential. And the more members we have, the more special events we can plan. We recognize that the need for socialization is especially important to our members as they grow older, often living alone. Staying Put provides the opportunity to make new friends to replace old ones no longer here."
In building membership, Tom mentions the issue of people who say 'We don't need it yet.' "If everybody waited until they really needed it, we wouldn't be able to provide all the services. It's like buying an insurance policy just before you become very ill."
On the positive side, Tom adds, "We have a very good rate of membership renewals. We also have a very active Board of 25 people and many volunteers. Our director Jane Nyce and her assistant Donna Simone excel in their caring for people. If I had a problem, I can't think of any two people I'd rather call on. They have a very personal connection with each member. That's what makes Staying Put the success that it is."
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