Marilyn Lannon is retiring from her post as the CEO of the Westlock Foundation.
Lannon’s last day is May 28, and will mark the end of her career in various roles with the foundation.
“I just realized that I’ve been working since I was 16 and it’s just time to enjoy life, even if it’s just staying home and walking the dog and sweeping the floor,” she said.
In her 25 years with the foundation, Lannon said she found virtually her “every waking moment” consumed by her duties, so to be able to have her entire life back is an appealing prospect.
“It’s going to be a new experience to have a life where I’m not always thinking about work,” she said.
When Lannon started with the foundation in 1988, it was originally in a part-time capacity as the secretary treasurer. At the time the foundation only had the Pembina and Smithfield lodges, and her position was only supposed to be 20 hours a month.
However, that didn’t last very long.
“After the first three days that I spent 20 hours on, I thought ‘I need to go back to the board and let them know this monthly salary is not going to cover it,’” she laughed.
Lannon spent a decade in that position and several others as the need arose before moving up to become the foundation administrator in 1998, a role she thought would only be temporary.
She was put in place as the acting administrator, she said, and was expecting someone else to be hired on a permanent basis, which never came to pass.
With her retirement mere hours away, Lannon said she’s looking forward to reintroducing music into her life.
A qualified piano teacher, she said teaching is not on her radar, but she is eager to start playing again more often.
“There’s been such a draw for me to get back to music,” she said. “It’s kind of like there’s been a part of me that’s been missing.”
And while she and her husband are not big travellers, Lannon said she is hopeful she’ll be able to make a few trips to Ontario to visit her daughter and grandson.
Leaving her post brings with it some bittersweet moments as she looks back on what the seniors she’s worked with have taught her about courage and optimism.
“It has been so much fun and such a rewarding career working with seniors,” Lannon said.
Taking over for Lannon for the next six months is Brian Coleman, who will adopt the mantle of interim director until a new CEO is hired.
