by Debra Rubin
NJJN Bureau Chief/Middlesex

July 21, 2009

Joel Gensler was a busy man, yet he always found time to share his professional skills and knowledge with others.

The East Brunswick resident, who died of cancer at age 66 in January, was a partner in a large Manhattan accounting firm, treasurer of the Jewish Family and Vocational Service of Middlesex County, and a trustee of the Jewish Federation of Greater Middlesex County.

“He had time for everything,” said Shirley Sommers, cochair of board development for JFVS, who recruited Gensler for what was then the Jewish Family Service of Southern Middlesex County.

In recognition of his many contributions to JFVS, the agency has named its career center in his memory. The announcement was made at its annual meeting June 8, where Gensler’s widow, Hillary, accepted a lifetime achievement award in her husband’s honor.

A second ceremony was held July 9 in JFVS’ Milltown offices, when a plaque was affixed to the door of the Joel Gensler Career Center.

Sommers, who knew Gensler through the East Brunswick Jewish Center, said he was “a very straightforward, hard-working guy, and I told him we were in money trouble and really needed an accountant.”

Gensler initially declined because of his busy schedule, which included business networking groups and serving as treasurer of the Big Apple Greeters, a nonprofit organization promoting New York City tourism.

But once on board, Gensler always found time to come to both finance and executive board meetings and assist in budget preparation, said Sommers, even if he arrived a little late, straight from his New York commute.

Gensler also played a “significant role in the merger and development of the new agency,” when the southern county service merged with JFVS several years ago, said JFVS executive director Sara Levine. He became co-treasurer and then treasurer of the merged entity.

“There was so much stress at that time,” said Sommers. “He was the calm voice through it all. He never lost his temper. He was unbiased. He kept saying, ‘Just look at the numbers.’”

Levine said Gensler’s business sense also pervaded other areas of JFVS.

“He was a businessperson and really finding the right people to do a job for the agency was very important,” said Levine. “He really valued training people and enhancing their skills to help bring them into the workforce.”

The Joel Gensler Endowment for adult education has also been established at the East Brunswick Jewish Center.

“He was such a professional,” added Sommers. His death “is such a loss….”

Comment: comments@njjewishnews.com

--TOP--