When Jeffrey Gross ’88 looks back at the major role models in his life, one person stands out: Donald Jensen '59. “As a kid, I knew Uncle Donny as this very successful, jet-setting guy,” remembers Gross, who is pictured with wife Cindy (Soucy) ’88 . “He was a business executive. When I was 16 or 17 and looking at his success, I thought business might be in my future as well.”

A native of Woburn, Mass., Jensen earned a second Bentley degree in 1966 — and parlayed both into a high-profile career as controller for the Far East division of Sylvania. The position allowed him to live in Asia and take regular trips throughout the Far East and Europe.

“Donny was always traveling,” remembers Gross’s sister, Jeannette, who cites Hong Kong, Mexico and Nevada among the destinations. “He’d come home about once a year, bringing treasures for the kids. Everyone would be so excited to see him.”

Through the years, Jensen developed a passion for Asian art and culture. Retiring at a still- youthful 47, he returned to the States and filled his Los Angeles home with exotic pieces depicting Buddha, dragons, and other motifs.

An eye for the fine Spanish porcelain figurines known as Lladró would lead Jensen to join with a partner and open three stores specializing in Spanish collectables. These ventures, combined with international real estate holdings and a keen interest in the stock market, made for a busy and rewarding retirement.

Following a Lead

Meanwhile, having enjoyed his high school business classes, Gross followed in his uncle’s footsteps to become an Accountancy major at Bentley. It was here that he met his future wife, Marketing major Cindy Soucy ’88. He also set the wheels in motion for a successful career in medical administration.

Twenty-one years later, Jeff and Cindy Gross are happily married with two children, Ben, age 16, and Annie Kate, 11. Jeff is vice president of business development at Tufts Medical Center Physicians Organization and New England Quality Care Alliance. Ben joins his father at work one day a week, to volunteer at Tufts Medical Center and survey the business world. He is starting to look at colleges.

“We just took our first tour of Bentley as a university,” Cindy reports. “The campus was beautiful.”

A Fitting Legacy

Several years ago, health problems led Jensen to move east to be closer to family and friends. A home in York, Maine, became the new showcase for his art collection.

“He had a lot, but it was very tastefully done,” Jeff says of works that include a dragon perched on the rooftop.

Jensen stayed involved in the lives and careers of family members, setting up a graduate school fund for one niece, and inspiring another to earn a graduate degree from Bentley. As Jeannette puts it: “He was just a very nice, generous guy.”

When Don Jensen passed away in January, the Grosses wanted to find a fitting way to honor his legacy. A memorial gift to the Bentley Alumni and Friends Scholarship Fund helped meet their goal.

“There was such a strong connection between his career, my career, and the start of the relationship between Cindy and me when we met as Bentley freshmen,” Jeff says. “We decided this would be a nice opportunity to honor Donny and to share his story.”