04/14/17 Jon Jennings, Portland City Manager

Jon Jennings, City Manager for Portland, shared stories from his personal life of those people who influenced him in his career, and taught him to find work he not only enjoyed, but made a difference. “You know the movie Hoosiers? Well that’s exactly the way I grew up. Everybody in Indiana grows up with a basketball in their hands,” he said. As a student manager of the Indiana University basketball team, he was taken under the wing of Bobby Knight, who commented on Jon’s aptitude for basketball. That relationship resulted in an internship with the Indiana Pacers, where he met Casey Jones, head coach of the Boston Celtics, who invited him to join the organization. Jones became his mentor, and at the age of 22, Jon received an NBA Championship ring as part of what he called the “greatest basketball team in history.” He also pointed out, “they couldn’t have done it without me.”

When Red Auerbach became coach, he also became a mentor to Jon. “I got to know him so well, it was as if he were my grandfather.” Jon shared his impressions of working with basketball legends Larry Byrd, Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, and Tommy Heinsohn. “I learned lessons of motivation and leadership from all of these men,” he said. “Something a kid from Indiana would never dream of.” Jennings time with the Celtics ended with the arrival of Rick Pitino, who hired his own staff. 

(Photo: President Laura Young, Portland City Manager, Jon Jennings and Bob Martin.)

After the Celtics, Jennings went to the Harvard School of Government, secured a White House Fellow appointment, and became a part of the Clinton administration. Conversations with his mentor, Red Auerbach, however, convinced him that “he was an idiot for not getting back into basketball.” He helped the Celtics start an expansion league franchise with the creation of the Red Claws, which brought him and his family to Portland. Building on his education at Harvard’s School of Government, Jon became involved with the complexities and challenges of running a city. “I love it,” he said. “Red and I talked about the importance of doing something that makes a difference, and that’s the blessing. Thank you for making a difference in all that you do to make this a great city. You do amazing things, and they are making a difference.”

He shared some of challenges facing Portland: limited funds; 22 failed streets that need repair; “a homeless shelter that’s an abomination"; and keeping the city affordable. “We haven’t had much investment in infrastructure, but we need to find ways to do it without having costs exceed the rate of growth.” Jon reported that the city now sweeps the streets twice a year, and is improving street lighting. “These are things people pay attention to and like,” he said. He talked about progress with the Portland Company project, and a likely slow pace on the Franklin Arterial project to allow more streets to be repaired that impacted more neighborhoods. He also said that he spends a lot of time listening to people discuss their concerns. Jon said that his job is made easier by the “team of city employees who are passionate about this city, and come to work each day to make the city better.”