Employees in GCI’s Home Office recently gathered for a luncheon to honor Janet Shay for her 37 years of faithful service as an employee of Grace Communion International. Janet retired in January.
Janet, who was originally from Oregon, started working for GCI while attending Ambassador College in Pasadena, California. Like most AC students, she held a variety of jobs during her college years, working in the custodial departments and then as a keypunch operator and terminal operator in mail processing. During her college years, Janet traveled to Israel to serve on the student archaeological project in Jerusalem. She then transferred to AC in Big Sandy, Texas, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree before returning to Pasadena to work there in the AC registrar’s and admission’s office. Janet married her husband Gary in 1971.
After taking time off from full-time work to be with her family, Janet returned to work in GCI’s personnel department, first as a secretary and then as a benefits specialist, risk/benefits manager and finally human resources manager where she served until her retirement. As human resources manager, Janet was responsible for both risk/benefits administration and the human resources functions with the able assistance of Maureen Warkentin. During her tenure with GCI, Janet held several professional designations including Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) and Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).
During the luncheon, Dr. Joseph Tkach, President, and Mat Morgan, Treasurer (pictured with Janet at right), recounted with appreciation Janet’s work history with GCI, to the applause of the other Home Office employees. They presented Janet with a large card signed by the employees and a gift card.
Please join us in expressing appreciation for Janet’s faithful service to the Church, and wish her a wonderful retirement with much reading, gardening and time with her grandchildren. Notes of appreciation can be posted in the “comments” section below, or emailed to janet.shay@live.com.
Please note: Maureen Warkentin now serves as GCI’s Human Resources Manager and Cheryl Corson serves as the Risk/Benefits Manager. Both can be emailed at humanresources@gci.org. Maureen can be phoned at 626-650-2372, and Cheryl at 626-650-2352. We thank these women for accepting these additional responsibilities.
Congratulations Janet! Thanks for all your patience and help through the years! Enjoy your retirement! Bob & Ruth
Congratulations Janet! Thank you for your years of good service. Ken
Ms. Janet, we wish you all the very best in the new chapter of your life. Thank you for the wonderful service you provided through the years. May God continue to guide you and your family as you serve Him.
Warmest regards.
Steve and Harlean Botha
Way to go!
May you thoroughly enjoy retirement and finding new and challenging things to do.
Becky
Congratulations, Janet! I was looking forward to seeing you in January but just missed you that week. Have a wonderful retirement!
Dear Janet,
Well done you fruitful and faithful servant!
Every blessing,
Santiago
Congratulations, Janet, on your retirement. Thank you for all your service over the years. So many have benefited! I especially appreciated your kind and thoughtful assistance when my father passed away. May God bless you in all your new adventures!
Linda
Congratulations, Janet! I will miss your cheerful periodic phone calls! Blessings, Dave
Dear Janet,
You have been, and continue to be, an EXCELLENT person and invaluable help to all of us! Wow! I am so appreciative of the years of working with you! You had your stuff together and have always been “Janet on the spot” in getting back with accurate, well researched and thorough info.
I will truly miss you and I THANK YOU dearly and deeply for all of your friendship and assistance throughout the years, especially the grace and mercy! All my best to you in what I hope is a very joyful, fun, active and rest-filled participation with Jesus in your “retirement” years and with your family!
Love and Every Blessing,
Timothy
We miss talking to you already Janet! You have been such a rock of dependability and faithfulness in our church, and it is an inspiration to us all. But you are too young to retire from being active, so I wish you well in your next venture and the extra time with your family. Enjoy!
Thank you and much blessings Janet,
Hector and Paulina Barrero
Welcome to retirement Janet. It is a wonderful time of life. You are fortunate to have grandchildren so close. I hope you have some time to travel if that is your desire. Enjoyed our many years of working together.
Wilma
Dear Janet,
I rather expect you will be dearly missed. I know I have always been encouraged by your warm and friendly voice and helpful advice. Congratulations on your retirement. Your faithful service through the years is deeply appreciated and you have my prayers for every blessing from above.
With deep appreciation,
Don
Janet,
Thank you for the many years of faithful service! May God continue to bless you as you enjoy the next page in life’s journey!
Brad
Dear Janet,
It was always good to talk with you and you were always so helpful. Also enjoyed the years in Glendora. We wish you and Gary wonderful years of retirement. God bless you.
Dear Janet,
It was so good and pleasant to see u at the reunion. Thanks for all you have done to assist all us over these 37 years, personally u have been extremely helpful to us through thick and thin. God bless u in your retirement and knowing your energy and enthusiasm you will be active in His service wherever you are.
Love,
Richard and Joyce
I remember your warm smile in Israel at the dig (’69’). You have always been a great help to those around you. Look up ‘friend’ in the dictionary and your smile will be there. Enjoy your retirement… always your friend.
Dearest Janet, to me the main thing among all the accolades that have been and could be said is this: the lady was/is a real pro! Thanks for the decades of help and support as an employee. Great to see you and Gary at the Reunion. I retired back to Pasadena at the same time, so hope to see you from time to time. I share your interests in reading, gardening and grand kids. So live it up and enjoy the rest of your productive life.
God’s blessings will be there. Love In Him JR & HBR