The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2016

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JULY-AUGUST 2016 63 working abroad, such as raising a family in difficult environ- ments and health issues, in particular—but also education and spouses’ careers. But raising a family abroad can also offer enormous advantages. In our case, we chose the French educa- tional system abroad, and our children have their French Bac- calaureate degrees—one from Athens, another from Geneva. They are totally bilingual and bicultural, and they often thank us for giving them an international upbringing. A Foreign Service career is an exceptional and very grati- fying way to spend the first part of your life. But a satisfying second career is equally important. Ronald D. Flack retired in 1997 after a 35-year career in the Foreign Service. He served in Paris, Copenhagen, Geneva, Athens, Abidjan, Algiers, Manila and Washington, D.C. Enjoying Travel and Hobbies BY JAMES PROSSER A fter 41 years in the Foreign Service, I retired to Green Bay, Wisconsin, where I was born. This is my 25th year as a retiree. Pursuing my numerous hobbies (photography, trains, clas- sical music, animals and wildlife, comput- ers, telecommunica- tions, amateur radio, gardening, swimming) never left time to engage in remunera- tive post-retirement work. But it has also meant that I never have to wonder what I’ll do each day. One very enjoy- able aspect of retire- ment after the Foreign Service has been the many opportunities A Satisfying Second Act BY RON F LACK I retired from the Foreign Service almost 20 years ago, and still occupy the position I found in 1997. After I had completed the retirement course and the job search program, Taylor Com- panies, a private, family-owned investment bank in Washing- ton, D.C., hired me to develop and manage a global network of senior advisers. When I started, I felt like a junior officer in an embassy again. I had to learn how to function in a very different work environment, acquire computer skills and integrate my inter- national experience into the company. I am not an investment banker, but hire and work with our advisers, mainly retired chief executive officers whom I have recruited. They are key to the success of the company. Soon after starting my work with Taylor, my wife, Daniele, and I moved to Paris, where I still represent them as co-chair- man for Europe. Happily, at age 82 I can pretty much set my own work schedule. When I retired at age 65 I thought I would work perhaps another five years at the most! I am delighted to be still working, albeit less, and keeping active. Allow me to offer a few recommendations to my active-duty Foreign Service colleagues. First, throughout your career, develop and cultivate long- lasting relationships with contacts around the world. I still draw on my diplomatic experience and international contacts almost daily in my work. I think that it is easier for FSOs who have spent most of their careers abroad, rather than in Wash- ington, to find satisfying international work in retirement. Second, spouses can play a very helpful role in a second career. Daniele has kept in touch with foreign contacts even more regularly than I have. FSOs whose spouses accompany them abroad have a major advantage in seeking international work after retirement. In the Foreign Service spouses are, as my fellow Minnesotan Hubert Humphrey once said, unpaid diplomats. The govern- ment gets two for the price of one. In retirement, as well, my wife of 55 years has been an integral part of the teamwork at the company, this time as a paid consultant. I have often counseled young people who are seeking careers in the Foreign Service to consider the downsides of Ron Flack. COURTESYOFRONFLACK James Prosser. COURTESYOFJAMESPROSSER