James Otieno always knew he was going to retire early and when he did, he knew he would do one of three things:
Join the PGA senior golf tour. Become the benevolent dictator of a peaceful island. Or apply himself to his passion improving education, particularly for those who live in poverty.
Pro golfer? Political leader? Hey, Otieno is an ambitious guy, and why not dream a little? But the truth is, as far-fetched as those ideas seem, finding a worthwhile way to follow your passion can be as daunting.
In May 2007, at age 47, with a 10 handicap and a personality that hardly lent itself to dictating (benevolently or not), Otieno decided that after 23 years at Hewlett-Packard, the time was right.
“On June 1,” recalls Otieno, who was vice president of executive services and compensation, “I was a retired man.”
A retired man, married with three kids, who was asking a question: Now what? It’s a question you can almost hear echo across Silicon Valley, a place where many achieve personal goals, tremendous wealth or career supremacy at an early age. Otieno had already started giving back, joining a few nonprofit boards. But how to get more deeply involved? How to apply his experience as an HP VP to a field that he believed could really use his help?
Full story here: Baltimoresune.com
