The changing of the seasons is just as relevant to our lives as it is to the colors of the leaves and the weather. Sometimes change is good, and then, sometimes it’s not. No matter what the case may be, life is in a constant flux of change.
Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra Chief Executive Officer Nick Kenny is embracing his own season of change by announcing that he is resigning from the GPO to pursue a new career path.
Kenny’s last day with the orchestra is Jan. 29.
“Nick has hugely benefited the GPO with his energy, creativity and musical expertise,” said Glenda Haines, GPO Board president. “He was incredibly important in making the GPO more visible to a younger demographic, and we are truly grateful for all his contributions to the GPO.”
Kenny began his career with the GPO in 2015 at an administrative coordinator. He then quickly moved up to executive director and most recently into the position of CEO for the group.
Since taking over the leadership reins of the GPO, Kenny has helped elevate the orchestra to new heights. He was instrumental in bringing on world-renowned conductor Lowell Graham, fostering partnerships with other performance groups like the UNC music department, Greeley Chorale and Greeley Children’s Chorale as well as working to educate and inform the community about the orchestra and its history.
Kenny also navigated the GPO through the choppy waters of the pandemic, coming up with innovative and creative ways to keep musicians working and the orchestra afloat. Despite the arts being one of the most heavily impacted industries during the pandemic, the GPO came out the other side in better shape than a few other organizations.
“There is great momentum and energy behind the orchestra right now and we are excited to continue to build on that,” Haines said. “Our board is committed to continuing the 111-year legacy the GPO has built in our community and we are grateful for Nick’s leadership over his tenure.”
So where is this new path taking Kenny?
Well, when we talk about taking a 180-degree turn, that is exactly what Kenny is doing. He’s going from the world of asking for money to help support the future of an organization to asking folks for money to support their own future.
Kenny has made the decision to pursue a career as a financial advisor with Edward Jones.
“I’ve been thinking about a change for a little over a year now; wondering what’s next,” Kenny said. “I’ve accomplished everything I’ve set out to accomplish with the GPO in the first couple of years and I kept adding on to that list.”
Typically the career path of a CEO of an orchestra or symphony involves moving into roles with larger groups.
“There’s just trauma everywhere with the arts and there’s so much recovery that has to happen,” Kenny explained. “The same problems and opportunities that we (the GPO) experience is seen everywhere no matter how big your staff is, not matter how much money you have, no matter how much your endowment is.
“And, I just didn’t want to move out of Greeley; I’ve developed roots here.”
Financial advisors help people of all ages, backgrounds and financial status plan for things like retirement, college savings, buying a house and other “big moments” that may come along in life.
It’s that aspect of educating and helping people reach goals that peaked Kenny’s interest in the position.
“I really wanted to help people. That’s what I’ve fallen in love most with my career so far,” Kenny said. “Being able to help our community, being able to help our musicians, being able to help the arts in Greeley and helping us to become more vibrant, viable and recognizable.”
Kenny considered a few different job options, including becoming a realtor or a loan officer as well as a career in therapy and counseling before learning about the opportunity to become a financial advisor for Edward Jones.
“The more I explored it, the more excited I got. There’s a lot of travel opportunities there, a lot of incentives,” Kenny said. “But really you are helping people understand the value of their dollar and helping them save for their dream home, dream car, their futures, their kids’ futures, to build a legacy — and that started to excite me.”
The path to becoming a financial advisor with Edward Jones includes much more than setting up a snazzy office and handing out business cards. While Kenny was busy vetting the company, they were doing the same with him on their end.
Kenny met with Edward Jones financial advisors and representatives from all over the country, went through numerous virtual interviews and in-person interviews as well as had one session that included role-playing with a variety of different types of clients he may encounter through his work with the company.
“It’s harder to get hired by Edward Jones than it is to get into Harvard,” Kenny said. “Every year 220,000 people apply for financial advisor positions and only about 150 get accepted.”
While the world of financial advising is new to Kenny, he “knows people and knows relationships,” and with those skills he could see himself doing the job.
Once he’s cleaned out his office at the GPO and walks through the door for the last time, Kenny does plan to take some time off to wind down and rejuvenate before he delves head-first into training and preparing to take the exam to become a Certified Financial Planner.
Kenny is also hoping to be able to continue hosting Nicks Knacks and The Nerd Show on 1310 KFKA while pursuing this new career path.
“It was such a difficult decision, but I really do feel I will be good at this,” Kenny said. “I will be able to do a lot more for the community in this capacity. I can serve on a wider variety of boards, and I’ve always had an interest in politics.
“And, I will be able to have a much larger voice for the arts community; not just for the GPO’s perspective, but for the arts as a whole.”
This content was originally published here.
