Mary Ann Baker Announces Her Retirement

Too quickly, the time has passed us by. After 14 years with Gilbert & Cook, Mary Ann Baker will retire at the end of the year. She has been an important part of our family and truly embodies what it means to have a genuine relationship - a core value of the Gilbert & Cook team.

A letter from Mary Ann Baker: 

Fourteen and a half years ago, I moved to Des Moines and was known by what mortgage people call the "trailing spouse", as I relocate a lot because of my husband's advancing career. As usual, I had applied for positions online during the moving process. While unpacking, I received a call from Gilbert & Cook to come in for an interview. 

Upon arriving at the office, my first impression was that this place was nothing like any other office I had worked in - and in all of my travels, I have worked in several. The office had a warm, cozy, home-like atmosphere. It was something that I had never seen in an office environment before and I welcomed it. I had found an office in which their clients and staff came first. Caring for people is my passion, so I accepted the offer in a heartbeat. 

I have come to love the team at Gilbert & Cook and "my" clients as if they were my family. Yes, I call each and every one of them "my clients", as I have come to love them all as if we were related. I love to hear about their families, adventures and care about their trials and troubles. 

This letter is bitter sweet. I am off on a new adventure called "retirement" and I have very mixed feelings. I am excited for my husband, Marty and I to enjoy what we have worked so hard to accomplish, but I am also going to miss the daily connections to my office family and "my clients" lives. Fourteen years is a long time, in which I have made some lifelong friends. 

I will keep you all in my thoughts and prayers and hope you know that I will always be thankful for this experience. Thank you to all for being a part of my life. I will cherish the memories. 

Mary Ann Baker