Deb Janni to retire from banking after 44 years
After working nearly 44 years in banking, Deb Janni will soon retire.
The First National Bank will hold open house on Tuesday, April 3, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. to celebrate Janni’s years in banking. All are welcome.
Deb began working at the State Bank of Springfield following her graduation from Springfield High School and a one-year secretarial course at Pipestone Vocational School. After finishing the secretarial course, she received a call from State Bank Managing Officer Willis Weber asking if she would like to work at the bank. She interviewed and was offered a job.
“I began work June 3, 1974, and I’ve been here ever since,” Janni said during a recent interview.
She began work in the bank’s bookkeeping department. “I worked on an E400 Posting Machine, I will never forget it,” she said. “We posted everything by hand.”
After working 10 years in the bookkeeping department, she was promoted to teller.
There have been many changes in banking during those four decades. “The technological changes are unbelievable,” Janni noted. “Our first computer took up a whole room. Today we can store an immense amount of data on a small flash drive.” That technology has dramatically changed the way consumers handle personal transactions in banking. “We don’t have the customer traffic we used to have. At one time we had seven teller stations,” she said, noting that she misses the face-to-face business relationships.
But after nearly 44 years in banking, Janni happily anticipates retirement. “It will be different, but I am looking forward to spending more time with my grandkids,” she said. Her husband, Joel, does maintenance work for Schwartz Farms. “When he retires, we hope to do some traveling,” she added. In the meantime, she looks forward to spending more time at home and with her family. She likes to cook and bake and those activities will be even more enjoyable with more available time in her kitchen.
Her last day of work in the bank will be April 6.