Jenean Green
Perfecting the Art of Living

Jenean has been responsible for the IT infrastructure at SAX for the past fourteen months. She entered the IT industry straight after completing matric and jokes that in ‘those days’ the IT industry as we know it today did not exist. “Times have definitely changed from when I first started out. Back then it was called data processing, and was completely different to what we do now, but I’m enjoying every minute,” Jenean reminisces.

When she started out in the industry it was very male-dominated, but today it has become a sector with equal opportunities for both male and female, and she finds it reassuring that her job is no longer considered to be a man’s job.

Jenean made her way through the industry by running data processing departments until she was headhunted by another IT company. She joined the South African Airways IT department before moving over to SAX.

When Jenean was younger, she had hopes of becoming a teacher, but her father had other plans for his daughter and hoped that she would become a doctor. After taking on some odd jobs doing data control after high school, Jenean realised that IT was a perfect match for her. Although she never became a teacher, today she enjoys mentoring the younger staff in her department.

Jenean’s mother played a pivotal role in her life, and she recognises that her perfectionism is a direct result of her mother’s positive influence. As a little girl her mother would take her along to the office where she was working as a secretary. She would give the young Jenean small tasks to perform and show her the correct way of processing information. She instilled in Jenean a sound work ethic that has stood her in good stead. “My mother really taught me how to do a job properly. She taught me never to do something if I was only planning on giving half the effort. I had to take responsibility for everything I did and ended up learning things that most people never learn to do. Subsequently I am a taskmaster and I either do a thing properly or not at all,” she explains.

Her strong work ethic also shines through in her private life. She has taken on adventures that many of us only dream of. A few years ago she drew up a list of things she wanted to do in her lifetime, and she brags that she is now well on her way to completing the list. Among other things, she had decided that she wanted to swim with wild dolphins, and has been doing so in Mozambique for the past few years. “It is a most wonderful experience that I think everyone should have. We go out in the early morning to sea and swim with wild dolphins. It is a very emotional experience and it is such a privilege to experience them so close,” she says excitedly.

Following the same ritual, Jenean would draw up her list after paging through magazines. Based on what seems exciting, she then adds it to her list and sets out to accomplish it on her next holiday. As a result, Jenean has gone skydiving and broken her personal speed limit on the Autobahn in Germany. Not an irrational person, Jenean indicates that she always thinks things through very carefully before she begins her attempt. “My experiences have been exhilarating and I am happy to have had the opportunities. I always wanted to drive a car as fast as I could on the Autobahn, and when I did it felt even better than I had imagined it would be,” she smiles.

Jenean has three sons. The middle son is following his mother in the IT industry. The eldest is a professional cyclist and the youngest a pilot, echoing her energy and sense of adventure.

She intends on staying in the IT industry until she retires, after which she hopes to work at charities for animals or children. Jenean is a humanitarian at heart and recently rescued a cat that had been abandoned at the airport. “Someone had dumped the cat at the hangers and it was obviously being kicked around so it struggled to walk. After a lot of love and a massage, it now has regained its freedom of movement,” says Jenean.

Her philosophy is to do unto others as you want them to do unto you, and to respect those around you. With such a way of thinking, any charity would be lucky to have her, but for now SAX is the fortunate one!