BBJ's History

Businesspersons Between Jobs began as an outgrowth of informal job-search assistance originally provided to a handful of individuals who were members of St. Mark Presbyterian Church, located in the St. Louis suburb of Ballwin, MO. The pastor, the Reverend Dr. Howard Gleason, had been personally providing one-on-one guidance and support, as the need arose, to help individual church members in their efforts to become re-employed. Starting in 1970, when he became the pastor of the church (then about 500 members), Pastor Gleason offered individual assistance to the occasional members facing unemployment. When the number jumped to five in July 1972, Pastor Gleason decided the time had come to organize a job-seekers support group. He reasoned that a group setting would offer a more efficient and effective method for support than any one person could provide. Realizing that such a need most likely extended beyond just the members of St. Mark Presbyterian Church, an open invitation to participate was extended to other churches in the area. A simple announcement was typed, copied and distributed to 25 other Presbyterian churches and other local churches of various denominations. Held on August 21, 1972, the inaugural meeting of Businesspersons Between Jobs drew 19 attendees.

The optimistic forecast of a short-lived BBJ did not coincide with the ensuing economic conditions. The group’s size has fluctuated widely throughout its history and at times has risen into the hundreds. Through the years, thousands of men and women have turned to BBJ for the personal support and valuable resources it offers to executives and professionals between jobs.