Sen. Janssen builds on personal history of public service

Above: Sen. Janssen at home with his daughter, Betsy Anne.

Sen. Charlie Janssen has paid attention to public policy issues for as long as he can remember.

“My interest in politics was born in me,” the Fremont senator said.

Both of Janssen’s parents and his uncle, former Sen. Ray Janssen, were involved in politics. His mother served as the village clerk in Nickerson for many years. Janssen said he learned from her how government officials could make a difference for their constituents.

“The village clerk’s office was basically my house,” Janssen said. “If you had a problem with the town, you came to our house for a solution.”

His relatives’ involvement in politics also taught him the value of nonpartisanship, he said, since they represented different political parties.

“Leadership really has no political party assigned to it,” he said.

From serving on the student councils at Logan View High School and Wayne State College, to his eventual membership on the Fremont City Council, Janssen said public service has come naturally to him.

“I want to help shape what’s going on,” he said.

That eagerness to make a difference is what led Janssen to the Legislature.

“I’m not afraid to get in the fight,” he said. “I wasn’t elected to come down here and sit on my hands.”

An awareness of and involvement in the community is something he’s passed on to his two children, five-year-old Charlie, Jr., and two-year-old Betsy Anne.

“I tell my son he’s the kid senator and my daughter that she’s the baby senator,” he said, smiling. “Together we represent the 15th district.”

Beyond a passion for public service, Janssen also shares his passion for baseball with his children. A season ticketholder, Janssen and his children can often be found at Haymarket Park cheering on the Huskers. He also coordinates his vacations around baseball game schedules – he’s seen the Cubs play in Chicago and the Red Sox in Boston.

But his favorite vacation spot is Hawaii, which he’s visited three times. A former U.S. Navy search and rescue swimmer, Janssen said he always visits Pearl Harbor. He also enjoys jogging on the beach.

“You’re just overwhelmed by the whole landscape,” he said.

An avid runner, Janssen said he initially was worried about how the rigors of his legislative schedule would affect his physical activity.

“They say everybody gains weight their first year,” he said. “But I’ve actually lost weight.”

The senator wears a pedometer and the day of the interview had already clocked 3,193 steps before lunch.

Juggling the responsibilities of being a father, a senator and CEO of a fast-growing medical staffing firm, Janssen said a sense of humor and balance are key.

“I’m the kind of guy that jokes around a lot, but I’m very serious when I have to be,” he said.