Get to know Shannon outside of the office

Meet Shannon Robertson, our Ontario East BDM, where a sense of humour meets a warm heart. We’ve asked Shannon some candid questions so you can get to know her a little better. Prepare for some great learnings and a few laughs along the way.

Q: Why did you decide to work in the mortgage industry?

A: I always had a passion for helping people. When I started out in banking as a part-time teller (while I was going to school), I was introduced to lending. I was hooked, and went in on my own time to work with the lending manager to gain insight and knowledge. It was very rewarding to help someone get a vehicle, house, or give them that one shot to clean up their credit and start fresh. It was such an eye-opener to listen to customers and see what we could do to help them. As the years went by, I worked my way through different roles in banking, but it was a natural fit to be specific in one professional area. Instead of knowing a little bit about everything, I could focus on one area.

Q: What’s your favourite aspect of your job as a BDM?

A: The people. The interaction with agents and brokers is fun and rewarding; it’s so enjoyable building relationships and helping clients.

Q: How do you stay informed about what’s happening in the market?  

A: I focus on using social media, news, and communication that comes from our head office.

Q: What’s a skill you’d like to learn and why?

A: Flying – I am afraid of heights but enjoy being on a plane… don’t ask how that works. I’d like to push myself outside of my comfort zone. It’s also a good excuse to buy aviator sunglasses too.

Q: In the span of your career, what are you the most proud of?

A: It’s hard to pinpoint one thing since I have been fortunate to have worked for great companies and even better people – many I still call my friends today. I have taken a few different jobs over the years, which allowed me to hone in on my skills and do what I love and enjoy.

Q: Who do you most admire in life?

A: My husband. He is hard-working and the strongest guy I know, mentally and physically. He pushes me to be my best every day and understands me like no one else. He supports and encourages when needed, and also is probably the only person who can tell me I am wrong – LOL! He takes every day as a positive and makes people around him better by knowing him. He always acts with integrity and treats people the way he would want to be treated.

Q: What’s your best childhood memory?

A: My best memories are just playing and being carefree. I loved to swim and we grew up near a lake. I don’t remember a summer that we weren’t in the water either fishing or in some type of boat.

Q: If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?

A: I have two places on my bucket list: the Maldives and Thailand.

Q: What’s your most treasured item?

A: My daughter. She is the most valuable and precious thing in the entire world to me.

Q: If we asked your best friend to describe you, what would they say?

A: I think they would say that I’m a good listener, compassionate, caring, smart, funny, sarcastic… not necessarily in that order 😊

Q: If I had the opportunity to pass through your region, what would be your top recommendations for things to do?  

A: The best time to visit is in the summer for sure. I live near lock 21; a hydraulic boat lift taking you 65 feet up in the air to get you to the next channel of water. There are 45 locks on the Trent Severn, so the biggest decision is making a right or a left, and neither is wrong.

The water is flowing and so are the activities: boating, fishing, water skiing, tubing, swimming, and ending the day with a nice campfire with a beverage and hot dog roast. If the weather isn’t the best, we have great restaurants with a choice of local craft beer or all the Picton area wines. We have free music in the park too. They offer 15 free concerts in the summer on Wednesday and Saturday – Artists like Carly Rae Jepsen, Tegan and Sara, Walk Off the Earth, Emerson Drive, Randy Bachman, Chad Brownlee and Syrena Ryder have all graced the stage.

I also live near a few provincial parks, one being the Petroglyphs Provincial Park, northeast of Peterborough. It has the largest collection of ancient First Nations petroglyphs in Ontario. The carvings were created in the pre-Columbian era and represents aspects of First Nations spirituality, including images of shamans, animals, reptiles, and possibly, the Great Spirit itself.