Thank You Barb Seibel

After eight years with Food Bank of Alaska, Barb Seibel, our chief financial officer, has officially retired.

For eight years, Barb helped keep the financial side of this organization steady. She knew the numbers, the systems, the details and the questions that needed to be asked. A lot of her work happened behind the scenes, but it mattered every day. It helped make the rest of the work possible.

But Barb was never just the CFO... she was the person who could answer a complicated finance question and then send a cat meme five minutes later. She knew every show tune, and possibly every jingle ever written. She brought humor into ordinary workdays in a way that made the office feel a little lighter.

On her last day, Leo Artola, Food Bank of Alaska's Food Donation Coordinator said it best: 

"With your departure the food bank, you take a piece of it with you. Your presence, your humor, your knowledge of every jingle that’s ever existed, it’s all added so much to the culture of this place, and we are sad to see you, and it, go. It is no longer the same organization without you."

At her retirement celebration, Cara Durr, Food Bank of Alaska’s CEO, also thanked Barb for the support she gave during a major leadership transition:

“I never would have made it through my transition to CEO without you by my side.”

That says a lot about who Barb has been to this organization: steady, trusted, generous with her knowledge and deeply committed to the people around her.

On her last day, Barb sent a note to staff thanking the team for eight wonderful years. She wrote about the friendships, the challenges, the successes and the shared belief that this work makes a difference.

So now it is our turn.

Thank you, Barb, for eight years of service to Food Bank of Alaska. Thank you for your care, your humor, your patience, your knowledge and the many ways you helped this organization move forward.

We will miss your wisdom, your cat memes, your show tunes and, of course, “Cheeeeese Time!”

Wishing you a joyful retirement and a next chapter filled with cat naps, laughter, music and excellent cat content.