Long-time bank employee retires after more than three decades on the job

Written By BRIAN LOCKHART

You can tell by the number of customers who greet Traci Sinclair by name when they enter the RBC in Shelburne that she has established her place in the community.

A lifelong Shelburne resident, Ms. Sinclair is retiring from the RBC after 33 years of service at the bank's Owen Sound Street location.

Her final day was Wednesday, July 31.

Ms. Sinclair got her start in the banking world right out of high school.

“My high school teacher's wife was the manager at Canada Trust and I used to babysit for them,” she explained of how she got her start. “As soon as I graduated Cathy, that was her name, asked me if I wanted a job. I worked there for six years.”

She was on maternity leave when she received a call from RBC asking her if she would like to work for them at their Shelburne branch. Her job at the time was in Orangeville, so the move to Shelburne made sense.

Ms. Sinclair has always worked the ‘front line' as a person in the bank who deals directly with customers.

“I've always enjoyed meeting the clients,” she said of why she enjoyed her job. “One nice thing about working at a small branch is you pretty much know everybody.”

Over the three decades she has seen a lot change in the banking industry. The main change is the switch to computers rather than filling out a bank book like they used to.

Banking machines means tellers no long see clients every week like they used to. Even the bank's name has changed from The Royal Bank to simply RBC.

Now that she will have more free time on her hands, Ms. Sinclair said she plans to work with seniors in the community.

“There's a need in town and I know a lot of the older people in town. They know me and they trust me. I'm going out on my own. I'd like to do chores for them, do their groceries for them, get their mail, bring to the bank, just whatever they need,” adding “I bought myself some new golf clubs as well,” so she plans to hit the links when she can.

The bank held a meet and greet on Friday, July 26, so Ms. Sinclair could say goodbye to the many people who dropped by and wished her well.

The goodbye, however, is just a formality as she will certainly still be active in the community.