Clients, retirees and employees of CIBC Leamington joined local dignitaries at the branch on Thursday, December 18 to celebrate CIBC’s 75th year in Leamington.
Community General Manager Joslene Dib welcomed everyone to the branch as retirees arrived to hugs, handshakes and stories of days gone by. Some retirees present were with the bank when it was still in its Talbot Street East location.
Joslene Dib welcomed Chatham-Kent Leamington MPP (and Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness) Trevor Jones, who talked about growing up in Leamington and the connections made with bank employees.
Dib talked about how she joined CIBC 25 years ago at a different branch, but her mother talked her into coming home to Leamington when the opportunity arose. She’s now been at the Leamington branch for 20 years.
“Best decision I ever made,” she said.
Chatham-Kent MP Dave Epp also spoke about how CIBC always made those connections and gave back to the community it served.
Leamington Mayor Hilda MacDonald agreed, saying she was moved by the way CIBC conducted business in Leamington for such a long time.
Former branch manager Joe Oswald spoke about his family’s history with CIBC and told some tales about his father, the late Bob Oswald, who was manager here for eight years in the mid-seventies and early eighties.
“My dad adored you,” Oswald said emotionally as he turned to a group of retirees present at the gathering. “I thank you all for your dedication and service.”
He also joked that his dad referred to the branch on Erie Street South as “the house that Bobby built”, which brought a chuckle and familiar nod from those who knew the senior Mr. Oswald and his “Bob-isms”.
Among those retirees was long-time Leamington CIBC employee Delia Pacheco, who retired last year after a 47-year career here. She spoke about how things have changed over the years.
“We used to have to write everything down,” she said. “Now, technology makes it so much faster. We’ve come a long way!”
As part of the occasion, CIBC also presented a cheque for $3,000 to the Leamington Community Hope Centre to help with ongoing efforts to help the homeless in the region.
CIBC Leamington retirees, from left, Shirley Lefebvre (retired in 2000), Marilyn Calder (retired in 2000), Margaret Bradford (retired in 2002) and Nancy Moody (retired in 1994), enjoyed reminiscing about their many years spent at both Leamington locations.
SUN photo by Mark Ribble
The Leamington Community Hope Centre received a generous $3,000 donation from CIBC at their 75th birthday celebration. From left are Hope Centre Manager of Recovery Care Robert Sandwith, Hope Centre Executive Director Jennifer Hyde and CIBC Leamington Manager Joslene Dib.
SUN photo by Mark Ribble
