After 36 years in the banking business Janet Carlson has decided to call it quits.
Carlson spent 29 years at the Servus Credit Union and worked at both the Rimbey and Bentley branches. Prior to that, she spent seven years at the Bank of Montreal.
She notes there have been many changes in the banking industry since she first started 29 years ago.
“We hardly had computers when I first started. We did everything manually.”
Carlson, who is definitely a people person, especially enjoyed her position as assistant manager. She found coaching and mentoring staff very satisfying. And she enjoyed her daily interactions with customers.
Of course, there was always challenges and as technology changed, so did banking. However, Carlson met all of the new challenges head on and in the process decided to take on another challenge of her own.
She decided to buy a flower shop.
“It was always in the back of my mind,” she said. “I really had no experience with flowers, but I thought it wouldn’t be that big of a deal.”
So in March of 2011 she purchased Blooms and since that time, under her direction the flower shop is truly blooming.
Carlson credits her success to her great staff and also to her daughter, Jamie who she said has stuck with her through thick and thin and helped her make the flower shop into the vibrant little shop it is today.
Now that Carlson has retired from the bank she plans to devote more time into her flower shop which also includes plants and giftware. Presently she is busy renovating and painting.
Carlson, who is originally from Bentley has lived in Rimbey for 18 years. She serves on the Pas Ka Poo Board and helps out with FCSS.
She loves her community.
“I think it’s a great community. It was a great place to raise my children. The schools have been amazing and the community itself is a safe place to be.”