Financial advisor retires after 40 years with TD Bank

TD Bank senior financial advisor Gisele Gee has retired after more than 40 years with the bank.

Many local people will have had dealings with Gee over the years at either the Creemore or Stayner branches.

Gee began her career at TD in 1980, almost straight out of high school. She said she took a chance on a contract position at a downtown Toronto branch, hoping it would lead to a full-time job with the bank. She said being a “girl” made it a bit harder, and she made a long daily commute from her home in Georgetown just so she could sit at a typewriter all day long.

The gamble paid off and when a position opened up in Brampton, she got it and is fortunate to have had a job she has enjoyed her whole life.

In almost 42 years with TD, Gee said she worked at more branches than she can count and always had consistent employment as a teller as she moved out west, had two children, and went through a divorce.

In 1992 Gee said she moved to the Stayner branch to step into her first management position as an after hours officer in charge, and then she came back to the Stayner branch for her first assistant manager job.

“When I landed in Creemore (about 2005) I thought that’s where I’d retire from and then when they shut down the branch and moved us all to Stayner, I was back where I started,” said Gee laughing.

In Creemore, she became a financial advisor on a path to being branch manager but Gee said she fell in love with the job and decided not to advance.

She said she enjoyed helping local people with their finances as they went to post-secondary school, started a business, got married or purchased a home.

She said it warms her heart to have been a part of that process.

“That was the joy of that job, is watching everything evolve from a bump in a belly to kids going to high school,” said Gee.

“I want to thank everyone for all their support over the many years. Without their support I would not be the person I am today. I am extremely grateful.”

Gee officially retired on Tuesday and said she looks forward to having extra time to spend with her friends and family, especially her mother and three grandchildren.