It was a hot and humid day in New York in August 1991 when I first met Kersen J. de Jong. I came to the offices of the Netherlands Chamber of the Commerce in the United States to interview Kersen as part of my summer internship for the Port of Rotterdam. It was the last week of my stay in the United States before I had to go back to the Netherlands. Kersen was the last person I had to interview for my report on Dutch-American trade and investment. I entered the Chamber office on the 11th floor of One Rockefeller Plaza, I shook Kersen’s hand, I sat down at his huge glass-covered octagonal table, and we started talking. I was immediately drawn to Kersen’s dynamic personality. I recognized that he was a real “man van de wereld”, a man of the world, so full of life, energy and intelligence. A man who spoke in beautiful, almost regal Dutch, who wore a colorful bow tie, and who happened to walk on two artificial legs. To me, Kersen’s charisma, class and strength were in a different dimension altogether. I politely asked my questions. He politely gave his answers. I left. Then later that day Kersen called me back to invite me to dinner. That evening, at La Goulue on the Upper East Side, Kersen offered me a job at the Chamber. This moment changed my life. It meant that the Chamber would sponsor me for an H-1 visa that would allow me to stay in the United States. I was overjoyed, because my dream to be able to live and work in New York had come true. Over the years, Kersen bestowed this same privilege on many young Dutch men and women, both staff and interns. Kersen truly believed in giving opportunities to young people to help them achieve their full potential. I will always remain thankful to Kersen for the chance he gave me that day. It marked the beginning of our friendship and cooperation.
At the Chamber, I worked for Kersen for five years, from September 1991 through August 1996. I now consider these my years of service to Queen and Country, with Kersen as General. It was unusual that this Chamber operated as a private company without direct Dutch government control. This structure suited Kersen perfectly. Kersen was a master networker who was always able to raise funds from multinational corporations and the Dutch government. The Chamber provided support and advice to small- and medium-sized companies from the Netherlands to help them gain successful entry into the United States. We did consulting projects and answered all kinds of business questions. We promoted the Netherlands in the United States in every way possible. We coined the term “The Netherlands: Europe Made Easy” to stimulate U.S. companies to do business in the Netherlands. Kersen always stood up for the independence of the Chamber from Dutch government interference. If necessary, Kersen fought the incompetence or ignorance of Dutch government officials and diplomats, who often lacked any business sense or were clueless on how to interact with Americans. One time, the new Netherlands Consul-General could not even find the door to the Chamber office and left again, which resulted in a hilarious exchange of correspondence, which made it to the Dutch government in The Hague.
Kersen was also a keen political visionary. He realized early that European integration was changing the relations between European countries and the United States. As a result, in 1989 Kersen had founded the European Community Chamber of Commerce in the United States, which is now the Trans-Atlantic Business Council, to serve as a lobbying organization to promote free trade and investment between the European Union and the United States. Kersen was a true pioneer and way ahead of his time.
Of course Kersen could be a tough taskmaster, because he set the highest standards for himself and expected the same from those working for him. Yet I actually enjoyed his perfectionism. Kersen’s gift was that he was able to motivate us to do more and achieve more than we thought would be possible. As a result, we all worked for Kersen with great dedication and each working day was truly a new adventure. The office was like a family, with a wide variety of characters who all somehow complemented each other to accomplish our shared goals as a team. One time, Kersen even flew the entire Chamber staff out to Florida to have a great time at the house in Manalapan. The only thing I never got used to was Kersen’s preference for a lunch of Slim-Fast diet shakes, whose intentions were countered by many a lavish dinner with a bottle of wine at night.
As in any company, staff and interns would come and go over the years, yet Kersen always remained the driving force of the Chamber, fighting for the Dutch cause on all levels and at every turn.
Each year, the Chamber organized a gorgeous gala dinner to present the George Washington Vanderbilt Award to a worthy recipient and company that had advanced Dutch-American business relations. I recall how much fun we had when the Chamber staff had to dress up in period costumes for a movie crew to film our reenactment of the founding of the Chamber by George Washington Vanderbilt in 1903. Of course Kersen played the historical Mr. Vanderbilt, with whom he shared an uncanny resemblance. This short film served as the introduction of the award ceremony. It’s a time capsule of some of the best days at the Chamber.
To coincide with the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands from Nazi occupation, Kersen raised the funds to restore the Netherlands Carillon in Arlington, Virginia, just outside Washington D.C. Kersen also arranged for Dutch Prime Minister Wim Kok to present a new 50th Carillon bell, with the words Freedom and Friendship engraved, to President Clinton at the White House. This 50th bell was dedicated on May 5, 1995, the exact date of the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands. On the same day, a one-time musical, which celebrated the liberation of the Netherlands, was performed at the National Theatre in Washington D.C.
Kersen’s handicap never defined him and never stopped him from being who he was. I was told that even before he lost his legs, Kersen had always been a fighter, because he had booked a one-way ticket to New York in 1971 and had worked his way up. The loss of his legs had not caused or changed his fighting spirit. Kersen was a fighter, period. So Kersen embraced the cause of equal rights for the disabled as well. He would take off his artificial legs and speed down the aisles of Lincoln Center or Carnegie Hall on his skateboard, to the shock of the audience, to show how difficult it was for the disabled to get to their seats otherwise. Kersen also worked hard on the initiative of the National Organization on Disability to change the Memorial dedicated to Dutch-American President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in Washington D.C. As a result, a statue of the President as a disabled man in a wheelchair was finally included into the FDR Memorial in January 2001. Of course Kersen was guest of honor.
After the attacks of 9/11, I decided to quit my five-year career as an investment banker at J.P. Morgan, because I wanted to give back to those who needed help. I quickly learned that Kersen had established the Netherlands American Community Trust for this exact purpose. So I returned to work for Kersen once more, this time for two-and-a-half years, from late 2001 through early 2004. After a successful fund-raising event in The Hague in late 2001, we organized a tribute concert at Carnegie Hall in New York on January 28, 2002. It was a big deal. A packed Carnegie Hall. On the left side of the stage, the Dutch flag. On the right side of the stage, the American flag. The Boys Choir of Harlem opened with the national anthems of the United States and the Netherlands, followed by a spoken tribute to the victims of 9/11. A Dutch boy symbolically handed a donation check to a girl from New York. The Netherlands Student Orchestra led by conductor Lawrence Renes performed Carmina Burana by Carl Orff. The New York Pops played Broadway tunes sung by top Broadway stars. Princess Christina of the Netherlands sang a song together with a choir of the New York Police Department and the New York Fire Department. Only Kersen could organize an event of this magnitude. The Netherlands American Community Trust would raise $31 million from the Dutch-American business community to support programs for the victims and communities impacted by 9/11. The Trust would go on to invest in community outreach programs for disadvantaged groups and related projects and events in the United States and the Netherlands.
Of course Kersen was the ideal person to organize the Centennial Celebration of the 100th birthday of both the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce in the United States and the Netherland Club of New York on May 7, 2003. On that day, we organized a forum on Dutch-American business relations at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and a forum on corporate social responsibility at the New York Stock Exchange, both with top executives from major Dutch multinationals in the United States. In celebration of the 100th birthday of the Netherlands Chamber, these Dutch business leaders rang the closing bell at the New York Stock Exhange on that day. Yet the ultimate event came at night: a spectacular black-tie gala dinner on Wall Street, within the very borders of New Amsterdam, with Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima of the Netherlands in attendance. It was a truly magical evening, still fondly remembered to this day by everyone who was there. Wine and beer flowed. The food was delicious. Everybody received an art piece. The Crown Prince praised the Chamber in his speech. The beautiful Princess enchanted all. Well-dressed people danced the night away. Everyone had a grand time. It was the best Dutch-American party, possibly ever. Again, only Kersen could have made all of this happen.
However, to Kersen, these glorious events were more work than pleasure. Responsibility can make it hard to relax. Instead, Kersen experienced the most joy when the underprivileged young talents whom he had championed over the years found success and recognition in their respective fields. To Kersen, this was the ultimate reward. It tells you all you need to know about Kersen.
After I started working as a financial planner and wealth manager, Kersen and I still stayed in touch. I received updates on his involvement with the Roosevelt Institute and the Four Freedom Awards, his knighthood, and his on-going support of deserving young men and women in the United States and the Netherlands. I occasionally helped Kersen with his elaborately prepared April Fool’s jokes, which always attracted unsuspecting volunteers. His sense of humor was legendary and his laugh contagious.
Kersen could also be a handful, because he had very little patience for those with lower professional, ethical or moral standards than his own. Over the years I came to realize that the only person who could handle Kersen at all times was Phil Perkins. Phil’s background as a Major in the military and as a school teacher, his calm demeanor, and his long relationship with Kersen always allowed him to gain the upper hand with Kersen if needed, which nobody else was able to do. It made me understand that this was the reflection of the strong love, friendship and respect that Kersen clearly felt for Phil. Only Phil could make Kersen truly happy. Kersen and Phil had the best possible marriage long before it became wonderfully official.
I’m happy that I was able to catch up with Kers, as I always called him, last November, when we talked about everything and laughed about the good times we had shared. Even then, Kersen was looking out for me and giving me advice. Although I was fully aware of the growing challenges to his health, the news of Kersen’s passing still came as sudden shock. Kersen left us much too early.
Kersen was a strong force for good. His entire life was dedicated to fighting for justice, equality and opportunity for all. As a result, Kersen made such a positive impact on the lives of so many. We are all the recipients of Kersen’s benevolence in some way. Kersen was a model human being, a consummate professional, and a real friend. I will always remain grateful for everything that Kersen has meant to me. Earth is a better place thanks to Kersen. Heaven is a better place with Kersen. Het ga je goed, Kers!