Current COO and executive vice president will be first female CEO of $1.2 billion-revenue group for people 50 and older

Jenkins

Rand

AARP's next CEO, Jo Ann Jenkins, has the ultimate insider's view. She was on the board of AARP's for-profit arm, was president of the AARP Foundation and—since March 2013—has been COO of the entire nonprofit behemoth.

"I see that [experience] as a tremendous benefit for looking at how all parts of AARP can and should be working together," Jenkins told CEO Update. "It was not my intention to be CEO of AARP, but my journey over the last 10 years … has positioned me to be in a good place."

AARP announced Jenkins' selection May 13. She succeeds Barry Rand, who steps down Sept. 1 after leading the group since 2009. CTPartners assisted in the nationwide search.

AARP has nearly 38 million members and revenue of $1.2 billion in 2012, more than half generated through product endorsement and other for-profit activities.

Jenkins said she has been responsible for building the strategy to take AARP to 2020. She plans "big and bold" moves on how services are delivered to members and nonmembers, particularly through technology.

"The things that have made us successful in the past are not good enough to get us where we need to go in the future," Jenkins said.

Board Chair Gail Aldrich said in a news release AARP is a more relevant and financially healthy organization now than when Rand became CEO. "We wish Barry all the best as he rediscovers what he wants to do in the next chapter of his very distinguished career."

Prior to joining AARP, Jenkins was COO of the Library of Congress. Earlier in her career, she worked for several federal agencies. She became a member of the AARP Services Board of Directors in 2004 and was its chair from 2008 to 2010. She was president of the AARP Foundation for nearly three years, before becoming AARP's COO.