Retirement reception to honor two City of Joplin employees with 48 years of experience

(From the City of Joplin)

After working nearly 48 years at the City of Joplin, Accounting Specialist Linda Foulks is retiring from the Finance Department. Many may know Foulks from her work as the Business License Clerk for the past three decades. Foulks is retiring as the longest tenured employee, and is joined in retirement honors by coworker and good friend Information Technology Analyst Sharon Shackelford.

The City is hosting a Retirement Reception from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, January 17 on the fifth floor of Joplin City Hall, 602 South Main. Those who worked with these ladies during their careers are welcome to join City officials and staff in wishing them well as we reminisce and say goodbye to two exceptional customer service representatives.

Foulks spent the first 15 years of her career at the City in the Police Department, working in the Records Division. She transferred to Civil Defense in 1985, and was promoted to the Finance Department where she served business owners and the general public for the past 31 years as the Licensing Clerk.

“Linda knows all of our business owners, and has had a great working relationship with them throughout her career,” said Finance Director Leslie Haase. “She has been one of the best customer service reps for the City, and has definitely set the bar high for taking care of our citizens.”

Shackelford has been with the City for 32 years, and met Foulks when she started her City career in the Finance Department in 1985. She served as the primary System Operator of Finance Department’s new Mainframe computer. As the City moved to automation in the 1990’s, Shackelford trained all City staff of this new technology. In 1999, she became a founding member of the City’s Information Services Department, and in 2003 she accepted the IT Analyst position serving as the primary support for public safety employees.

“A big part of what she began her career doing continues to the present day, said IS Director Mark Morris. “Sharon’s contributions in her role at the City are too many to list. After 32 years and 3 months of service, she will leave a very big hole in our lives and operations.”