Kathy Ebel:
CLASS OF 1972
Holy Rosary SchoolClass of 1972
Edmonds, WA
Edmonds High SchoolClass of 1976
Edmonds, WA
Kathy's Story
Workplace
Bummed around the house two weeks after graduation before deciding to go out and get a job. Went to an employment agency and got to choose between an offer from an insurance company and one from a savings & loan association (S&L). The S&L had nicer offices, and in downtown Seattle at 4th and Pike no less, so they won. Never looked back. Discovered a flair for organization and detail, which was appreciated by various supervisors, and became really addicted to that paycheck. Started out as a teller, moved up into the lending area (hated it), and then to computer operations (administrative). Stayed with the S&L two years, then transferred to their data operations center on Olive Way in the old Smith-Gandy automobile dealership building (many may remember that showroom). There was an art gallery on the lower floor and an ever-changing display of artwork in the corridor from the glass front doors on Olive Way to the office entrance for the data center. The data center was owned by four local S&LÂs and was quite defiant in declaring itself a Burroughs shop, not IBMÂa major statement back in the late 70Âs early 80Âs. You might need to be a programmer or computer equipment geek to relate.
After six years working variously as receptionist/secretary, customer service rep/trainer, and office manager/executive assistant, the company moved to almost Issaquah (Eastgate). Wanting to stay in Seattle, the next adventure was with a regional CPA firm as a tax secretary. Five long busy seasons later (busy season = January 2 to April 15 of 10-12 hour days, including Saturdays), that got old. ...Expand for more
But during that time I absorbed a wealth of experience and skills and had the opportunity to hire my younger sister when she turned 18. (As a side note, she is still with this firm after 21 years and going strong.)
A wealthy client of the firm offered me a job as personal assistant/office manager. He is an entrepreneur with several companies in Washington, Oregon, and California, and I worked for him and his son for seven years. One of the perks of working in an office is encountering, and interacting with, other people  co-workers, vendors, etc. In a three-person office, that wasnÂt happening. We parted ways amicably, and after an 18-month stint at a dot-com that eventually imploded, an opportunity with a bank presented itself. That was October 1999, and IÂve been here since. Love it! Left behind the office management aspect for strictly administrative support as executive assistant to the Chief Financial Officer and the Director of Risk & Regulatory Oversight. Two better people to work for have never existed. Ironically, a former employer, the entrepreneur, is currently serving on the bankÂs Board of Directors.
Oh, an under the heading of life lessons and why one never burns a bridge with an employer (as tempting as it may seem at the time, IÂve never done it), currently in addition to the one former employer serving on the board, a former partner of the CPA firm is also serving, a former teller-supervisor works as a project manager upstairs, and the CFO from the imploded dot-com works for a benefits company 10 floors below us in the same building. ItÂs a small, small world.
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