Thirty-two years ago, CCB hired Jan Linne as a Project Assistant and was assigned to then CCB Owner & Founder, Chuck Brandt. We sat down with Jan to gain a little insight into what her life was like at the time of her hiring, how she’s evolved as a professional over the years, and what her advice would be to those who’ve just recently started at CCB.
Jan Linne, Accounts Payable & Payroll
When did you start at CCB and what was your life like at the time? It was the Dark Ages of 1989. I was single, just purchased my first house and ready to be a real grown-up.
What did you want to be when you were growing up and how did that change as you got older? Deep down inside I wanted to be an Egyptian archeologist, but obviously that didn’t pan out. History did and still does fascinate me. I didn’t really have a specific direction at the time – my dad died when I was 16 and I think I was floundering a bit. I had gotten my first job at a Holiday Inn to get started and things evolved from there.
Who were some of your first colleagues/mentors when you started at CCB? I have to say my first, best mentor was Chuck Brandt. I started as a project assistant and was assigned to Chuck (or WCBJ as we knew him then). What a ride! He was always working at warp speed, resulting in lost glasses and calculators – which I spent a lot of time looking for. But he was the best boss I ever had, and he taught me tons about the construction industry, marketing, and property development – which I desperately needed coming from the guest services industry. I can’t swear to it, but I think CCB did a construction job at the hotel I was working at in the mid-70s. I’m sure I ran across project info for that in my journey here. It seems CCB and I were meant to be together.
What was a challenging moment for you working at CCB? Back to Chuck – keeping him on schedule. He was always running late for something, and I had to keep him on track and on task so he wasn’t as late as he could have been. My one trick he never knew about was I moved the clock in his office ahead 15 minutes. That helped to some degree.
What is your most memorable moment at CCB? I think celebrating my 30-year anniversary in January of 2019. I mean that’s a lot of years! Thanks to Mark Perry and Katie Baker for making it so memorable and for my 30-year award plaque in my office.
What lessons has working at CCB taught you, and what advice would you give to employees that have started working at CCB in the last few years? CCB is a great company and like a fine wine gets better with age. I love the hard work, the commitment, the dedication to doing a job well, the honesty & integrity of all employees, and the family feel of the company. I simply cannot imagine working for some huge corporate giant where no one knows anyone else. If you ascribe to these values, you will go as far as you want for as long as you want at CCB.
Jan, we thank you for all your hard work, your commitment to CCB, and the positive IMPACT you’ve brought to both our employees and our clients. You truly are an inspiration to us all!