Former Harley-Davidson IT Director on Staying Strong in Retirement
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United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County

Former Harley-Davidson IT Director on Staying Strong in Retirement

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August 10, 2017

This Q&A is part of our Retire United blog series. Check out previous interviews with Bev Jurkowski, Scott Pavelchik, Dennis Sell, and Jim Angresano.

Reid Engstrom is retired from Harley-Davidson Motor Company, where he served as IT Director and VMware Chief Strategist. Reid lives in Whitefish Bay and has been involved with United Way for 20 years.

What is your favorite thing about your involvement with United Way and/or Retire United?
I enjoy having a front row seat to witness the strong agency and corporate contributions to improving the community.

If you could change one thing about your community, what would it be?
Help improve strong family relationships, and instill reading skills and interest in kids.

Do you volunteer in your spare time?
I volunteer with Next Door’s Read with Me program, help IndependenceFirst with IT activities, and work with MPS on STEM career development.

As a retiree, where and how are you investing your time and energy?
I spend significant time on personal enrichment, both mental and physical, by auditing classes at UWM and cycling, golfing, and hiking.

What is your favorite place you’ve travelled and why?
Italy for the history, food, and wine.

What advice do you have for young professionals?
Seek out career experiences, working with different organizational cultures.

What one perception of retirement for you turned out to be different than you imagined?
I didn’t need a list of activities to keep busy. Volunteering, United Way, taking classes, and the health club offers unlimited involvement.

What are the things/issues/areas that are most important to you now that you are retired? 
Health, family, and keeping intellectually curious.

Retired or planning to retire? Get involved with Retire United!

Save the date for a conversation on preparing for unexpected costs at the next Retire United Connection.

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