Each month we will be highlighting one of our Thurston Young Professionals, allowing us to learn a bit more about the successful professionals in their 20s and 30s making an impact on our community.
This month our featured TYP is TYP Committee Member, Jessie Bensley!
Q. Where were you born?
A. St. Peters in Olympia
Q. Where do you work and what is your title?
A. Port of Olympia, Executive & Commission Coordinator and L.J. Home Services.
Q. What is your role?
A. Provide administrative support to the Executive Director and the Port of Olympia Commissioners. Responsible for the coordination and completion of all Port of Olympia public meetings including: Commission, Port of Olympia Citizens Advisory Committee (POCAC) and Port Economic Development Corporation as well as any other special meetings.
With L.J. Home Services I am a co-owner that primarily focuses on the marketing and business development.
Q. What is your favorite part about your job?
A. My co-workers – we have an awesome team that knows how to make work enjoyable. We know how to get our work done, but also balance that with personal development and supporting each other.
Q. What has been your most embarrassing moment at work?
A. There was an attractive coast guard that had been working at the port of Olympia; I didn’t know how to talk to him and I was still in high school. One of my co-workers found out about it and took a picture of him and then had that put on my birthday cake.
Q. Before working at your current job, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?
A. When I was younger, I used to babysit and I decided to take that opportunity to start my very own horse camp so that I could easily take care of my horses and also make some additional money.
Q. What is your biggest achievement to date – personal or professional?
A. Starting and managing a profitable business from the ground up, L.J. Home Services. This business started as just a side business, but it quickly grew so much that it became Luis and my primary business.
Q. What do you do when you aren’t working?
A. Work around our fixer upper house, spend time with my horse, family and friends, judge horse shows, coach the high school equestrian team, workout & travel.
Q. What is the best vacation that you have ever been on?
A. I went to Mazatlán for 12 days. While I was there I stayed with a friend that lives there and it felt like I had my own personal chauffeur. I was able to go to a private island where I got to ride horses on the beach and relax on a catamaran.
Q. Cars have been replaced as the preferred mode of travel in the future, what do you hope is the technology that replaced them?
A. I’m hoping it’s flying cars like they had in the Jetsons.
Q. What book (or movie) do you wish you could read (or watch) for the very first time again?
A. The Sound of Music because it’s so joyful and brings back so many family memories of watching it and singing together with my mom and sister.
Q. What is your favorite spot in the area and why?
A. My family has a farm on Johnson Point, but anywhere country! I love big open fields, nature, animals and the peaceful ambiance.
Q. If you could meet anyone dead or alive who would you meet and why?
A. My grandpa Kelly, I miss him so much. He used to take me to school and to Dairy Queen afterwards, a lot of special memories with him.
Q. What are you doing to have an impact on our community?
A. In 2002 I started the North Thurston High School Equestrian team and I continue coaching. In addition to that, I am a Thurston Young Professionals committee member, campaign coordinator for the Port of Olympia, which is currently supporting Safe Place and Community Youth Services, and last year I participated in the United Way’s Day of Caring and I’m looking forward to participating in that again this year with the Thurston Young Professionals.
Q. Any other items/comments you would like to share?
A. Hustle and heart will set you apart. Getting involved in the community has been the most rewarding thing I’ve done, both personally and in my career development.
