People of Rotary | Jess Kinser
Written by Libby Valerio-Boster, Intern with UNL interviewing Rotary 14 members.
Jess Kinser describes her love for the south, especially sweet tea and fried okra, with much fondness. She is not a Nebraska native and has lived many places as her family moved around so her father could open restaurant chains all over the country. After bouncing around the country, she landed in Nebraska in 1998 and for someone whose favorite place she has lived is Florida, her Husker pride runs deep.
Kinser attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and majored in broadcasting. After graduating, she began her career in the broadcasting realm which eventually steered her into the field of marketing. She fell in love with marketing and decided to go back to UNL to earn a master’s in business administration with a focus in marketing.
For her, joining Rotary 14 was a no-brainer. She was introduced to Rotary 14 and sponsored by her then boss at Vision Maker Media in 2010. Kinser says she sees Rotary as a “get as much as you put in” experience and joined so she could continue to expand her network beyond her industry, learn from others, and become a more well-rounded individual. Now, Jess Kinser is the President-Elect and is poised to take the presidency role on July 1, 2023, a job that she will certainly do with much pride, compassion, and dedication.
There are two favorite memories of Rotary 14 projects. First, she really enjoyed her time as co-chair of the Rise.Shine.Give. fundraiser. She enjoyed the challenge of continuing the transition of the event to a brunch and was humbled to see so many people dedicate time to making the event a success. Second, she has fond memories of bell ringing for the Salvation Army. On one particular day, it was bitter cold at the Hy-Vee at 84th and Holdrege but Pam Dingman, County Engineer and fellow Rotarian, kept her laughing. They danced around with their bells and raised a ton of money just by having fun and making the most of it. This was a bonding experience for the two of them that truly shows the benefits of Rotary relationships.
Kinser's Rotary pride revolves around relationships. She is proud that Rotary 14 is well-respected in the community and continues to evolve to be relevant in Lincoln. She loves the continual development of young leaders. She has also been blown away by the international side of Rotary and notes that "Rotary connects the world," and she wasn't fully able to grasp this idea until she entered leadership roles and attended conventions. At these conventions, she felt that everyone was so welcoming and like a friend from the moment you met because each individual is a driven leader in their field with a passion for service. Kinser finds all these members inspirational and likes to draw information and inspiration from each encounter. She considers herself a sponge, always willing to learn and pick the brains of others. Jess Kinser believes that each person has something to contribute which leaves me with no doubt that she will be a fantastic president and will allow Rotary to provide memories, opportunities, and networks to others.
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