Battle Plans
West Point veteran marches onward in retirement
By James Raia
September 2026
The table at Coffee Works in East Sacramento is filled with papers, folders, index cards, markers, pens, a laptop and ruler. Each has a purpose.
It’s the mobile workplace of Ken Cross. There’s room for a cup of coffee and a muffin, just barely.
Nearly 12 years removed from retirement as CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento, Cross, 74, thrives on being busy. He combines work away from home with the joy of conversation.
The West Point graduate began his Army career more than 50 years ago. He’s transitioned many times, sales to service, volunteerism to senior education.
“I think it’s how I am wired,” says Cross, longtime instructor at Sacramento Renaissance Society and its former executive director. “It has to do with global thinking and trying to figure things out, micro to macro, and trying to solve problems. I’ve also been journaling for about 35 years.
“So, I have my journal, my calendar, my papers and my laptop that I use for all kinds of things. It’s an amalgamation of stuff. It’s a methodology I’ve used over the years.”
One day, Cross is preparing for a Sacramento State University summer class on saving democracy. Or a spring class on life transitions.
The next day, he’s revisiting notes for the next 6-mile group walk along the American River by Sacramento Pilgrim Community.
After graduation from West Point in 1974, Cross served 10 years at Army bases stateside and in Germany. He worked in staff and leadership positions and was on the promotion list as a major.
In retirement, Renaissance Society provided an ideal opportunity. It’s a partnership between local older adults and Sac State. The group offers participatory learning and philanthropy.
Cross organizes classes and administrative duties in the program with the same level of detail as in his military career.
But Cross is happily removed from uniforms and military traditions. He wears his white hair in a long ponytail. His outfit often features walking shorts and a long-sleeve Oxford button-down dress shirt, tail out. His voice resonates like a late-night jazz radio announcer.
At Habitat for Humanity, Cross helped build affordable housing for low-income families. He orchestrated the local chapter’s international presence, building residences in Nicaragua.
Cross has worked in sales and corporate training. While contemplating one career move to another in the mid-1990s, he drove an RV for nine months with his wife Christine. They visited 42 states and sought life’s purpose.
The trek led to Cross’ Life’s Purpose workshops. In 2025, he began organizing and teaching “Protecting and Preserving Democracy” seminars. The curriculum added to his work after retirement.
“One of the most important things I teach is social interaction,” Cross says. “You just meet the most interesting people.”
James Raia can be reached at james@jamesraia.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento.
