About

About Mary Jo Schifsky

GenSync’s founder, Mary Jo Schifsky, believes work is engaging, rewarding and provides freedom of choice.  This includes work of all types, from when kids are young and doing household chores to first jobs, second jobs, big careers and volunteering.

With GenSync, she’s fulfilling her lifelong interest in workforce development, highlighting her personal value that meaningful work throughout life equates to productive employees and profitable enterprises.

As one of a growing cohort of individuals and institutions, she’s committed to changing the dialogue about traditional retirement age by exploring the opportunities within a multi-generational work force to fill current employer skill gaps. She broadens the discussion beyond employee age to employee value and contribution, along the whole demographic curve.

Mary Jo speaks from her experience, with over 45 years in the workforce, in for-profit, non-profit, line and staff positions, building businesses and companies. She is an experienced leader with roles at Target, Hazelden, Pickle Product and, as a visionary Executive Director for Store to Door for Seniors.

In 2017, an interim role leading the St Paul College Foundation led to two insights:  1) students, whether young or old, are poorly-informed about the dynamic needs of employers and 2) community resources, including employers and community funders, stand ready to support innovative programs to minimize the current workforce shortage.

Mary Jo’s educational credentials include an MBA, HR management coursework and leadership certification. She’s currently planning to obtain a M.Ed/Human Resource Development from the University of Minnesota.