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| Shawn Quinn | |
Shawn Quinn, Porchlight's longtime accounting director, has retired after 30 years with the company. Quinn was hired in 1989 by the Harry W. Schwartz flagship store in downtown Milwaukee to work at the small "Business Desk" run by Jack Covert at the back of the store. Over the next three decades, he worked in human resources, store management and accounting for both Schwartz and Porchlight (then 800-CEO-READ), earning a degree in accounting along the way.
During this time, he also met and married his co-worker Nancy (Williamsen) Quinn, who served as the Schwartz marketing director for nearly 20 years. They have a daughter, Alina, who is starting college at UW-Madison in the fall. In retirement, he plans on volunteering in Milwaukee and spending more time with his family.
"From a cash register in the Schwartz business division's cozy space on Wisconsin Avenue to the accountant for this amazing company is quite a journey," said Covert, founder of Porchlight/800-CEO-READ. "When I myself retired, the note Shawn wrote to me was so touching and thoughtful that it continues to hold a special place on my desk at home. In return, I wish him the best of luck and thank him for all of the years he dedicated to the company."
Owner and chair Carol Grossmeyer noted that Quinn "was always the one reminding me that there was a tsunami or some major world crisis that was calling for aid--and I think we were all pleased, as a company, to respond. I'm grateful to Shawn for reminding us to be generous in ways easy to overlook."
Daniel Goldin, owner of Boswell Book Company, recalled: "Shawn and I started on the floor of the same Harry W. Schwartz Bookshop (the Iron Block building) and we also got marching orders to go manage a store for a year (Shawn at Shorewood, and myself to Mequon). We both like Nancy a lot, though of course differently. We both get very enthusiastic about books and reading. But perhaps our true bond is having experienced many very long manager meetings. I think they sometimes went for six hours. That's a lot of time going over numbers. Congrats on retirement and here's to a great next adventure!"
Porchlight owner, president & CEO Rebecca Schwartz described Quinn as "a mainstay in my family's book business for three decades. Over his many years, he has not only performed myriad duties--sung and unsung--but has also become a kind of historian for us....As he goes off to open the first page of his next chapter, we wish him lots of great books to read, winning Brewers baseball to watch, and many visits (but not too many!) to his first-year college student daughter in Madison come the fall."
Quinn observed: "I'm so proud of Shawn for his 30-plus year career, and I'm looking forward to the next phase of our life together. Thank you to the company for bringing us together, and for each of our careers."