LA JOLLA, California (Press Release) – An occasion like this only happens once every 45 years! On June 1, after nearly half a century of service, Executive Director Michael Cohen is retiring as Executive Director of the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center (JCC) in La Jolla. Cohen will be honored at the JCC’s annual Patron Party on May 20..
Cohen’s accomplishment is rare. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the tenure for U.S. employees at individual organizations is only 4.6 years and fewer than 10% of all employees will work for the same company for more than 20 years. FORTUNE Magazine explains, “More people are working longer and retiring later than ever before in U.S. history. However, very few toil long enough to receive a 50 year pin from a single employer.” The feat is so unusual, in fact, that the BLS does not even track this type of longevity.
“This will be quite a change for the organization and the community,” admits Phil Ginsburg, President-Elect, Lawrence Family JCC. “Mike has been the face of the JCC for so many years. He has built everything from relationships to buildings. His vision, along with that of hundreds of board and committee members over the decades, has continually elevated the JCC as a vital and diverse San Diego resource.”
Recruited after an exhaustive national search, Betzy Lynch, who is currently the Executive Director of the Levite JCC of Birmingham, Alabama, was hired to succeed Cohen as the new Executive Director. Lynch will join the Lawrence Family JCC this August.
Cohen, who began his career on November 1, 1971 setting up sports leagues at the JCC on 54th Street in San Diego, has led the organization through countless achievements: from raising millions of dollars and balancing budgets to building a state-of-the-art community, fitness, and cultural arts center. Everyone wishes Mike well as he moves into retirement to spend more time with friends and family including a growing list of grandchildren and his wife Myrna.
The Patron Party, which is the JCC’s largest fundraising event of the year, will feature a tribute to Cohen, gourmet dinner and desserts, and a tailor-made show by Chicago’s The Second City Improv Troupe. All are welcome to attend and celebrate the career and achievements of a San Diego leader. https://www.lfjcc.org/about/patronparty.aspx
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Preceding provided by the Lawrence Family JCC.