Jerry Foxhoven is a kindhearted man with a working background in family law and has spearheaded countless child welfare programs protecting and advocating children’s rights. He has also been a Professor of Law at Drake University’s School of Law where he has taught hundreds of students to do the same. You may know him from his most recent position that he was headhunted for; Iowa State’s DHS Director.
While Foxhoven has held the position for the past two years, long outlasting many of the DHS Director’s that came before him, he was recently forced to hand in his resignation this past June, seemingly for his Tupac “obsession”. According to Foxhoven, he wanted to bring a “little levity” to the department by sending out department-wide emails containing inspirational quotes from the late rapper. While there only seems to have been one known complaint about his brand of leadership, it went all the way to state legislators just a few short days before he was asked to resign. Iowa State Governor, Kim Reynolds, refuses to disclose the details surrounding his forced resignation.
exactly. keep ya head up, jerry foxhoven pic.twitter.com/Lbi5l2fHry
— Parker Higgins (@xor) July 16, 2019
Foxhoven wasn’t given a reason for the request and was stripped of his cell phone and ID card and forbidden from returning to his offices. While he doesn’t believe that he was forced out of his position due to his “Pac” references, citing a slew of more detrimental issues going on within the department, some of the employees that served under the now-former Director feel he might be giving the Governor’s office a little too much credit.
“I’m a 66-year-old white guy from the Midwest who likes rap music, who likes Tupac! I always try to assume the best of everybody, and I can’t imagine that [the governor] would base her decision on the Tupac incident. If this is the reason, I’m really disappointed,” the ousted Director says in an interview with NPR.
Although some people didn’t appreciate Foxhoven’s approach to building department trust and cohesion one thing is for certain, his emails still worked their magic on many of the employees he oversaw. Not only are they inspirational, but some are actually pretty hilarious. We just can’t blame him for his love of the Pac! Here is a list of some of the more memorable emails shared between Foxhoven and his employees.
1. Lowering the Flag in honor of 2Pac
That’s right! This 2Pac superfan actually asked another employee if it would be okay to request the flag be lowered to “half-staff” to commemorate the death anniversary of the infamous rapper just three months after taking the position.
Tupac Shakur was, reportedly, fatally gunned down in Las Vegas, taking six bullets to the chest. He was on life support for a short time after before he slipped away. This senior public official wanted the whole state to mourn with him.
it turns out Jerry Foxhoven’s love of Tupac did not get him fired but i’d still like to bring your attention to the email he sent about Iowa flying flags at half mast for Pac’s death anniversary https://t.co/y6rzo1KVdd pic.twitter.com/tcs8Yf1zXP
— Andy Cush (@cushac) July 19, 2019
2. An employee responds with a perfect quote
While the above request was without a doubt hilarious and possibly a bit quirky coming from a director, the thought was definitely appreciated. One employee named Yvonne replied to Foxhoven with exuberant gratitude, and a little inspirational Tupac quote tossed in.
3. Valentine’s Day mixed with a little bit of “Dear Mama”
To be fair, Fohoven didn’t single out Tupac as the only voice of reason when it comes to love. He quoted several other inspirational people in an effort to build up all 4,000+ employees that he was trying to encourage.
Jerry celebrates Valentine’s Day with, you guessed it: more Tupac quotes for his 4,000 staff at the Iowa Department of Human Services pic.twitter.com/Z208dgYmjT
— Tim Mak (@timkmak) July 17, 2019
4. Inspiring change with quotes from ‘Changes’
While his Tupac “antics” may seem a bit silly, there is no questioning that Foxhoven did an extravagant job at making department employees feel like they could trust him with their thoughts and feelings. In this email, the goodly Director offers up some wise advice to one of his subordinates and cements the sentiments with a relevant quote from Tupac’s “Changes”.
5. 2Pac Birthday Cookies
Foxhoven’s deep passion for the socially conscious lyrical content found in Tupac’s work was no secret. Not only did everyone know about it, but many of them helped him celebrate it. One year for Foxhoven’s birthday, his staff surprised him with detailed cookies depicting an iconic image of Tupac while the rest of the cookies were branded with the phrase “Thug Life”.
6. Foxhoven gets a Psychiatrist’s shout-out
There was no shortage of responses from employees to Jerry, and one of the first to reach out was a psychiatrist who couldn’t say enough how much she deeply appreciated his efforts to unite people. What’s more, he started a strong, emotive dialogue with the people he was working with. Not something that is easily done in the hustle and bustle of working for the public.
7. Foxhoven’s humble heart of servitude
It is apparent through the dialogue between Fohoven and his employees that there was a strong undercurrent of appreciation for everyone’s hard work. Never one to exit the conversation without giving a compliment, Foxhoven made sure to reply kindly to the psychiatrist’s email.
Jerry seems to be an attentive/kind manager, and engaged with his thousands of staff at the Iowa Department of Human Services.
“Thanks, and thanks for all you do for us and for the people we serve,” he wrote in response to that psychologist.
The Tupac quote started a dialogue!
— Tim Mak (@timkmak) July 17, 2019
8. Old Guy Memes
Foxhaven may very well be a good deal older than the general age group of Tupac fans, but he hasn’t let that slow his jokes down at all. This white-collar, well established, renowned and awarded public official also has another secret talent. He can make totally cheesy memes displaying a fine combination of nerd and Tupac humor like he did with this map that depicts which states know how to party.
9. Required readings from Tupac
Yep, the fanaticism of Foxhoven didn’t just begin to bleed through his communications with others when he took the job at DHS. His love for Tupac goes back much, much further, as is evidenced by his class syllabus from his time teaching ethics and law. In this course, Tupac was legitimately considered by Foxhoven as required reading.
10. Another year gone without the greatness of Pac
It seems that Foxhoven didn’t just send that first request to commemorate Tupac’s death as a joke, because one year later he sent out a similar message. You can tell at this point something was already wearing the Director down, though, as is evidenced in the melancholic tone of his email.
11. Haters gonna hate
After a while, it seemed that Jerry started to pick up on word around the water cooler that not everybody welcomed his Tupac quote-peppered emails as much as he thought. Even then, when a fellow employee reached out to let him know the majority of people enjoyed his emails, Foxhoven simply brushed off the haters.
12. The truth begins to come out
Even though Foxhoven is idealist enough to believe the Governor wouldn’t have him fired simply for his Tupac references, an email later forwarded to him of an employee conversation indicates otherwise. In the email, the employee says she was “blindsided” by her boss with questions about the Director. For instance, how has he been acting? Showing up at the office? Any more 2Pac references?
13. The email that just might have done it
One of the last emails Foxhoven would get to send to his fellow 4,300 employees also happened to be one of the sweetest. He sent a beautiful, smiling image of Tupac taken not long before he died, with a reminder that the upcoming Father’s day, as well as Foxhoven’s own birthday, coincided closely with Tupac’s birthday (June 16th) and that he would have been 48.
He also left an almost prophetic lyrical quote from Pac, of course:
“Pay no mind to those who talk behind your back, it simply means that you are two steps ahead. “
The loving Director ended the email with a personal message, thanking everyone for the opportunity to serve with them:
“Oh, and by the way, on his birthday, I will have finished my second full year of serving as your director. These two years have flown by, and it has been an absolute honor to lead such a dedicated and committed group of people. Thanks for all you do!!”
14. Foxhoven schools Lin on Pac
One person responded to his kind email to let Foxhoven know that he was spelling the rapper’s name incorrectly. Yeah, as if Jerry doesn’t know. Much nicer than most who are questioned, he kindly schools her on the many variant’s of his favorite artist’s name.
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15. The email that says it all
In response to one of the Director’s emails, one employee asks him if he is truly a fan of Tupac or is just finding a creative way to inspire. His answer was simple, straightforward, and the God’s-honest-truth.
Jerry Foxhoven may be a bit eccentric compared to most people in his position, but we think that made him absolutely perfect for the job. We don’t really know the truth behind why he was fired, but we definitely know one thing is indisputable; Jerry Foxhoven is unquestionably a really big Tupac fan that always hopes for you to have a really wonderful day!
