Eight and a half years ago, Sensible Financial had four employees. Diane made it five. Since then, the firm has more than doubled both in clients and in staff, and Diane has helped make that possible. She’s been the smiling face you see as you enter the Sensible Financial offices and the welcoming voice on the phone giving you information, connecting you with your adviser, and exchanging pleasantries while you wait. In that time, she’s worked hard and made some good friends. “I’ll miss the staff and clients. You couldn’t find a nicer boss if you tried. Rick Miller is intelligent and kind, which makes it a pleasure to come to work every day. I’ve also gotten close to a few of our clients. When I had cancer, they’d call or send me a note asking how I was doing. Some would come over and give me a hug. That kind of warmth is hard to find.”
Diane has also done a lot of things clients may not have seen, working with Sensible staff and our custodians to open accounts and make transactions happen. In addition, as we formalized the way we work together to support our clients, “Diane helped us develop our operational processes and then she helped us run them,” says Sensible Financial founder, Rick Miller. “The firm functions much more smoothly now, and Diane has had a lot to do with making that happen.”
Is she planning to make a dent in her sofa while watching Judge Judy reruns? Hardly! Diane Shea is launching herself headlong into an exciting new life. After living most of her life in Tewksbury, MA, Diane is making a new start in Georgia. She, her daughter Megan, and son-in-law, J.R. are moving to the Atlanta suburbs together. To add to this adventure, the couple are also expecting a little one in the spring, so Diane will become a grandmother for the first time. Is she nervous about all this upheaval? Not so you’d notice. “As hard as it is to leave the friends I’ve made here, I can hardly wait to get down to Georgia and meet my new grandchild.”
One of the things Diane looks forward to is gardening. Living in a condo for the past fifteen years hasn’t allowed her to get her hands dirty and she can’t wait to spend more time outside planting and weeding. To keep her company out in the yard, Diane is getting a new puppy. Her three-month-old West Highland White Terrier puppy will come to live with her the day after she retires. Cotton will be a terrific companion and walking partner in the mild Georgia climate. About the weather, Diane is looking forward to future snow-free winters. “I may miss a lot of things, but I won’t miss the snow at all,” she says.
“Working at Sensible has been a wonderful way to wind down my career,” says Diane. “There’s always something interesting going on so the days fly by. That said, I’m counting the days until I start the next episode of my life!”
As anxious as she is to retire and move on to the next phase in her happy, productive life, Diane values the people, both clients and colleagues, she’s met here. Diane states it simply. “I feel honored to have worked at such a good company.”