INB has been fortunate enough to have Linda Black as an employee since 2002. After more than 40 years in banking, she’s planning to simply, “Enjoy life.”
Linda started her banking career in 1975 as a telephone receptionist and account opener at Land of Lincoln Bank. She says, “I worked there until I got married in 1977. After that I worked at Williamsville State Bank for 19 years. Williamsville State Bank was a small town bank, and I did a variety of jobs. I was a teller, teller supervisor and later became an officer of the bank.
“I left there in April of 1996 and came to work in Springfield. I think I was going through a mid-life crisis at this time and worked in three different banks.” She ultimately landed at INB in 2002.
“I think that I stuck with banking because I have always worked with the public all of my life. I started out working in a grocery store when I was 16 and always had jobs involving cash handling. I always enjoyed working with people.” People routinely compliment Linda on her lovely smile, which she says she happily inherited from her father and paternal grandmother.
Behind the smile is a woman who knows banking and used that knowledge to make life better for her customers. “I have had many customer relationships over the years, too many to count . . . I always seemed to be good at working out people’s problems and giving them great customer service.”
Linda says the stories of her customers’ lives will always be with her. “I saw some customers grow old.” On the other end of the spectrum, she got to work with young people. “They make me laugh,” she says. “I always want to be young at heart.”
As she retires, I want to note that Linda has been a staple at the branch since it opened in 2002. She will be missed by her co-workers and many customers she has come to know over the years.
Now Linda begins the “Enjoying Life” phase. She will now have time to be with her 87-year-old mother. She will also get to do the creative things she couldn’t do while working full time. “The thing that many people don’t know about me is I am a very creative-type person. My number one passion is sewing. But don’t give me things to fix. I like to create from scratch. I also used to paint pictures. I love music and play the accordion and have a chord organ. I love to walk with nature. I love going to different places and enjoying traveling. My husband and I have friends in Florida, and we will be visiting them.
Linda and her husband will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary in June.