“That’s the $64,000 question,” he quips with a sensitivi-
ty that shows in another of his off-the-job passions – writing
short stories.
“It was always in the back of my mind. You know parents;
they always want something better for their kids. For me, that
was emulating my father. I had an epiphany when I turned 30
in 2003 that if I don’t do this now, I’m never going to do this. I
believe my education and former responsibilities have helped
mold me into the law enforcement officer I am today.”
Kompany submits that his years in the patrol division and
three years in community policing enhanced his innate desire
to work with people and help them solve problems. In fact, he
is also doing that for fellow officers by working a side job as
a financial planner geared especially to law enforcement with
RMR Wealth Builders headquartered in Teaneck.
Evoking one of his favorite axioms that “People make plans
and God laughs,” Kompany confides that it is a bit serendip-
itous to be able to pursue two of his great loves at the same
time. Those, of course, would be second to his greatest loves
– wife of 10 years, Laura, daughter Luciana and son Francesco.
About the next great love – being a member of the new PFRS
Trustee Board: well, that’s the $100 million question, especially
if Kompany can make good on his goal of helping the pension
get back to full funding.
“When they were presenting the pension proposal at the
Mini Convention in March and told us who might be needed,
another one of our board members, Brian Swick, and I imme-
diately thought of Jim,” Polakoski recalls. “Now, I can barely
write a check, but I knew he had the background. He worked
on retirement systems for Fortune 500 companies. He kept up
his education. If we were going to make this work, and with the
whole state watching, we needed somebody like Jim.”
Kompany sent a resume to President Colligan and then went
to lunch with PBA Labor Relations Coordinator Mike Freeman
to get more information. As State Delegate for Summit Local
55, Freeman had seen Kompany help some of his members
and Union County Conference members with financial plan-
ning.
“He brought a comfort level and not just because he knows
what he’s talking about,” Freeman explains. “He doesn’t have
an ego. Police work is in his blood. From day one, we will need
somebody who knows what he’s doing and can talk to others
about what needs to be done.”
PBA Director of Government Affairs Rob Nixon made the
first official inquiry to Kompany about becoming a trustee.
“I thought he was a solicitor because I didn’t expect the call,”
Kompany shares. “That’s when the wheels started turning.”
How seriously he is taking this opportunity became evident
when Kompany first met with Colligan and Executive Vice
President Marc Kovar. Despite all his financial acumen, pas-
sion for law enforcement and PBA service, he says about the
meeting, “Honestly, I was nervous.”
That should be read as a sign of how much this means to
Kompany. The feeling driving his motivation to make sure the
investments that can bring the pension to full funding are han-
dled with the greatest care and expertise comes from wanting
to make sure that all PBA members never have to face this:
“I don’t want to see a member who is 65 years old having
to get up every morning to go lay brick because he needs the
money,” Kompany declares. “I want to be the guy who makes
sure you are set to retire, who gets your confidence back and
who gets that pension squared away.”
No pressure at all.
www.njcopsmagazine.com
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