A Visionary’s Journey Virginia Jacko’s career didn’t end when she lost her sight. Instead, it took a whole new direction, bringing her to a new role as a nonprofit CEO. Here, she shares four key lessons she learned along the way.

By Doug Eadie and Virginia Jacko

The new president of the University of Miami? How difficult experience: A young stay-at-home Purdue University sits on would it be for you to get it in time for mother takes a part-time position as a an L-shaped sofa with us to be in Miami by January 3?” financial analyst at Purdue University Virginia Jacko, a senior finan- A few hours later, she walks across in the late 1970s. She rapidly rises cial executive for the university. As the hall to speak to the university through the ranks, becoming a senior they talk, Virginia thinks, “When I get treasurer. “You know I’m losing my financial executive who works directly up to walk out of here, I have to walk eyesight,” she says. “Well, I need to get with the university’s president, treasur- really wide, because I don’t have a clue some new skills so I can keep up with er, and provost. She is looking forward where the glass coffee table is.” She has my job, so I’m applying for a three- to a bright future in higher education been progressively losing her vision for month medical leave and enrolling at when she is stricken with retinitis pig- months, but this is her moment of truth. the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind.” mentosa. Gradually losing her sight, she As she’s leaving his office, she says Thus ends the first stage of Virginia still manages to handle her demanding to herself, “This can’t go on. You’ve got Jacko’s extraordinary journey. job effectively for several years. to do things differently.” She shuts her Virginia’s odyssey has all the Taking a medical leave in early 2001, office door and calls her husband, Bob. makings of a great story, even with- she enrolls as a student at the Miami “Bob, you know that sabbatical at out drawing any lessons from her Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually

46 Associations Now February 2010 Lesson 1: Reach Out Aggressively Doug Eadie: Virginia, you’ve taken to heart the prescription that a CEO should spend no less than one third and prob- ably more of her time dealing with external relations. I think our readers would be interested in your take on relationship building and on managing relationships with stakeholders. Virginia Jacko: Liking people and being caring and considerate probably outweigh everything else in building relationships with the people around you. I don’t think of the drivers who take me to work in the morning as stakehold- ers I’m managing; they’re just people I like and whose help I really appreciate,

paired and they know it. I hope I’d be polite Im y and friendly whether I needed their ll help or not, but the fact is, I can pick up the phone anytime and get one of the drivers to take me someplace, and ind and Visua

l I’m sure it’s because I treat them with consideration. But there are a couple of other fac- tors that have helped me tremendously in reaching out. For one thing, I’m who I am—what you see is what you get— i Lighthouse for the B

m whatever the situation I’m in. I think people want to know that you’re not putting on one mask or another depend- ing on who you’re with at a particular time. That’s what being authentic means, and one thing I’ve learned over Virginia Jacko, CEO of the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, the years is that most people really do pictured with her guide dog.

photographs courtesy Mia want to know that they’re dealing with the one real you, not some mask you’ve Impaired. Within a year, she completes the United States. Since then, she has put on for the occasion. her vocational rehabilitation program experienced tremendous success as Another thing is, I feel truly passion- at the Lighthouse, resigns from Purdue, the Lighthouse’s CEO, working closely ate about the Lighthouse mission, and takes guide-dog training, and begins with her board to dramatically diversify my passion comes through loud and to volunteer at the Lighthouse, becom- Lighthouse programming and more clear to people and is kind of like a mag- ing a highly visible spokesperson in than double revenues. net that attracts them to me. You can’t the greater Miami community. She is Virginia’s story is the focus of our calculate being caring, authentic, and invited to join the Lighthouse Board of new book, The Blind Visionary: Practical passionate, but they’re in my experience Directors in 2004, eventually becoming Lessons for Meeting Challenges on the the top three relationship builders. its treasurer. In February 2005, only four Way to a More Fulfilling Life and Career. years after enrolling at the Lighthouse The third part of our book consists of a Lesson 2: Act on as a vocational rehabilitation student, dialogue on four lessons we have drawn Opportunities Virginia becomes its interim—and from Virginia’s amazing journey that Doug Eadie: No one would ever accuse that June its permanent—president any association executive can put to you of being a passive bystander, and CEO, then and now one of only a good use. Some highlights of that con- Virginia; you’ve led an extraordinarily handful of blind chief executives in versation follow. action-packed life. Talk about your

Associations Now February 2010 47 approach to making decisions, espe- cially the ones that appear to be snap decisions that might be really risky. Virginia Jacko: You’ve probably heard the saying, “There are those who are presented with an opportunity and they don’t see it. And then there are those who see the opportunity, but they’re afraid to act on it.” I like to think Virginia Jacko and Transition students from the Miami Lighthouse’s 2008 Summer Camp that over the years I’ve compiled a pret- swimming with the dolphins as guests at the Miami Seaquarium. ty good track record of not only spotting opportunities for action, but also acting. I’m not one to sit around agonizing over decisions; you’re not apt to catch “If you really do believe in yourself—that me laboriously going through every last you’re able to accomplish whatever you set out pro and con. That’s just not my style. But I want you to know that I don’t—I to do—whatever fears you’re facing are going really don’t—make snap judgments. I’m not inclined to take stupid risks. to seem less threatening.”—Virginia Jacko And that’s true of some of the more dramatic decisions that might seem really impulsive, like when I called [my impaired. So when the time is right, I’ve me get over fears. It’s really close to the husband] Bob about getting the sab- got lots of information stored away, and idea of believing in myself. batical so we could head to Miami and I I’m able to draw on it to make a quick I don’t think I’m being a Pollyanna could enroll in the Lighthouse, or when decision. It’s not like I’m running off when I try to see the glass half full. To I called the president at Purdue and told half cocked. I don’t think I’ve ever run me, it’s simple: You waste precious him I wouldn’t be coming back, that I’d off half cocked. I knew as my sight got time and energy on negative thoughts. be heading for New York for guide-dog worse and worse that I was going to You’ve only got so much energy and training. You know, I never even dis- be vulnerable, that I’d probably not be you’ve only got so much time. And so cussed that with Bob. I made the phone able to continue in my job someday, so I you can choose how you spend your call, and he came home, and I told him. was storing up the information I’d need time. You can choose how you spend But you’d be wrong if you thought when I had to make a decision. your thoughts. Spending much time I’d made snap judgments in either on something negative is not really instance. I actually made pretty well- Lesson 3: Don’t Let Fear Win productive. informed decisions that just seemed Doug Eadie: As you’ve been talking I really think it comes more from to come out of the blue. I had the pros about making decisions that have that attitude than that I’m such a bub- and cons in mind when I decided what turned challenges into practical, down- bly, “Everything’s OK!” type. Because I to do; I just didn’t need to agonize over to-earth opportunities, Virginia, I’ve don’t think that really is me; I’ve always them. wondered where courage fits into this been a pretty hard-headed realist. But The way my mind works, I’m always picture. that doesn’t mean I’m negative. I just gathering information. I’m not dwelling Virginia Jacko: First of all, you’ve think that when you see a bump in the on it, but it’s like I have a little com- got to believe in yourself. If you really road, you assume you can deal with it; puter folder in my brain. I’m constantly do believe in yourself—that you’re able you don’t expect it to defeat you. You putting things in that folder, but I’m to accomplish whatever you set out to tackle the bump realistically, you get not going to that folder until I need to. do—whatever fears you’re facing are over the bump, and you go on. Because There’s a wealth of information in that going to seem less threatening. That’s that’s your life. That’s life. That’s what folder that I’ve accumulated, so when I certainly my experience. it is. need to make a decision, it comes into You and I have talked about the Doug Eadie: You’re probably one of play. importance of being a positive thinker, the most ambitious people I’ve come That’s what was happening as I was like Norman Vincent Peale’s “power of across over the years, and God knows, slowly losing my vision at Purdue; I positive thinking” and Wayne Dyer’s you’ve been successful, but I’m 99 per- started to store information in my inter- “power of intention.” Maybe it’s too cent sure you’d second the notion that nal computer folder about resources obvious to mention, but I really do think just shooting high and working hard for people who are blind and visually that being a positive thinker has helped don’t cut it over the long haul. Without

48 Associations Now February 2010 Virginia Jacko speaks to Florida legislators at the 2009 Florida Vision Summit.

I didn’t plan for it to be different in is being stirred up with the board.” I any formal way. I discovered it, this responded, “I’m really sorry. What you new mission, and as I’ve said before, said was pretty inappropriate, but I’m it’s brought powerful new meaning not the one who’s been talking about to my life: helping blind and visually this with board members. However, impaired kids and adults reach their full it’s not going to do you or me any good potential. I still have “customers,” like if we hang onto this, if we don’t work the president and provost at Purdue, together and try to have a collegial rela- but the barriers I’m helping them over- tionship. So, I’ll make a deal with you. come—not only blindness, but related I’ll forget what you said, and then you obstacles like low expectations and lack forget what some of my board members of access to essential technology—are said about you.” so much greater than with my relative- It seemed to me that the meeting ly privileged Purdue customers. went well; I wasn’t sure, but I thought I’d turned him around, which felt good Lesson 4: Keep Things in and worth the effort. I didn’t really Perspective share that with anyone, because you Doug Eadie: As I’ve gotten to know say negative stuff and it becomes like you and your story over the past nine a snowball. So I just forgot about it. I’m months, I’ve concluded that your suc- really able to forget about stuff where cess at both Purdue and the Miami some other people might dwell on it a pretty good sense of why, at a really Lighthouse has a lot to do with your and think about it. fundamental level, you’re engaged ability to keep things in perspective. By the way, the ending was happy. I in whatever job you’re doing—what Virginia Jacko: A skill that’s made a was so honored when the fellow who’d contribution you’re aiming to make— real difference to me over the years is made the bad joke called me a couple you’re just as likely to make the wrong not to be ruled by my ego, especially not of years later and said, “Virginia, I want decisions as the right ones, don’t you to personalize things or hold grudges. to nominate you for an award.” Then I think? To me, it’s the future that matters, not knew it’d ended the way I wanted. Virginia Jacko: Having a sense of the past, and you can’t afford the nega- It wouldn’t have done any good for mission has been tremendously impor- tive emotion of nursing grievances or, me to have gotten huffy and taken him tant to me. I’m absolutely certain it’s worse, looking for revenge. Over and on with, “How dare you say something helped me get through some really over again taking this positive approach bad about me!” Instead I kind of rough patches in my life; it’s certainly has paid off. laughed it off, and we made the deal to helped me not give in to whatever fears Let me tell you a story that’s on forget the whole thing and move ahead. I’ve been feeling. point. It was my first year as CEO, but As I say, it’s an approach that’s worked As we’ve talked about my time at I don’t remember if I was still serving well for me over the years. an Purdue and my Lighthouse experience, pro bono or was permanent. One of two things have gotten clearer to me our volunteers said to a board member, Doug Eadie is president and CEO of about mission, at least as it’s played out talking about my appointment, “Can Doug Eadie & Company in Tampa Bay, in my life. First, I don’t think I’ve ever you believe the inmates are now run- Florida. Virginia Jacko is president and really consciously or deliberately tried ning the asylum?” referring to me as an CEO of the Miami Lighthouse for the to define my mission—not ever, as far inmate. I didn’t hear this directly, but Blind and Visually Impaired in Miami, as I recall—as part of some kind of for- another board member I trust repeated Florida. They are the coauthors of The mal planning exercise. I’m not saying it to me, and a blind board member who Blind Visionary: Practical Lessons for that I haven’t given a lot of thought to heard it was outraged and asked other Meeting Challenges on the Way to a my calling at one time or another; just board members, “Can you believe what More Fulfilling Life and Career, available that it seems to have come out of my so-and-so said about Virginia?” at www.theblindvisionary.com. Email: experience, like a discovery, rather than At the time, I just chuckled to myself; [email protected], vjacko@miami some kind of plan. The more I think it didn’t seem worth getting angry lighthouse.org about it, the more clearly I see that my about. Well, this particular volunteer mission has evolved over time, hasn’t who’d made the comment came to the Review and comment on this been a static thing. Lighthouse to see me one day and said, article at www.asaecenter.org/ My mission has definitely changed “Virginia, I’m so upset with you that associationsnow. since I’ve come to the Lighthouse. you can’t take a joke. This whole thing

Associations Now February 2010 49