MOORPARK : Spokesman for College to End 26-Year Career

Moorpark College public information officer Gerry Olsen will retire next month, capping a 26-year career as a spokesman for the college and the Ventura County Community College District.

Olsen, 59, joined the district as its first public information officer in 1967 and, after participating in the opening both Moorpark and Oxnard colleges, was assigned to Moorpark College as its spokesman in 1986.

“I enjoy working with people,” he said. “In a typical day, I’ll interface with 50 to 70 people and it’s always exciting.”

Olsen, who said he is a descendant of Thousand Oaks original settlers, has lived in the same Camarillo home with his wife, Joan, for the past 33 years. He said he will spend his retirement traveling, fixing up the house and staying active in the community.

In addition to his duties as spokesman, Olsen has taught public relations and journalism classes at the college for the past 14 years and plans to continue doing so in his retirement.

He will lead courses on mass communication and leadership this fall. “I want to stay involved with the students,” he said. “The teaching is the frosting on the cake. It allows you to be on the front lines and get feedback from the students that you wouldn’t get if you were just in your office, in the ivory tower.”

He said his fondest memories include a visit to Moorpark by Peanuts’ creator Charles Schultz that drew 5,000 people and the pomp and circumstance of each year’s commencement ceremonies.

“Commencement is a spine-tingling event. It’s really a culmination of the year, and to see the smiles and the joy on the faces of the students is really fulfilling,” he said.