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Longtime Salmon Arm Observer staff member retires after 26 years

Penny Brown joined the newspaper in March of 1996
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Penny Brown, who has worked at the Salmon Arm Observer for 26 years, retired on Jan. 7, 2022. (Staff photo)

The longest-serving member of the Salmon Arm Observer staff is retiring.

After 26 years, multi-media marketing consultant (aka sales rep) Penny Brown worked her last day at the Observer on Jan. 7.

Brown has been instrumental in the ongoing success of the Observer, which is now in its 115th year as Salmon Arm’s community news source.

With retirement, Brown will not be letting go of her energetic approach to life. She has lots planned, which includes her work as a Rotarian. She is a Paul Harris Fellow and, since she joined the Daybreak Club, she’s served many roles. She is now the assistant governor for Area 3, supporting the three Salmon Arm clubs, Chase and Revelstoke. Brown said she loves Rotary as she wants to make a difference in the community, and the clubs are made up of a great group of like-minded people.

“I am looking forward to retirement,” she said Jan. 7 as she packed up her desk. “I want to finish my house and do some landscaping.”

“We have 17 acres so that should keep me busy,” she laughed. “Most of it is bush. And I will look at doing some travelling and, of course, stay busy with Rotary.”

Brown said she’s learned a lot over the years.

“Believe it or not, when I first started in sales I was shy. Now I am not afraid to tell people what I think – advice on an advertising campaign, how much to put in an ad, print and digital…” she said.

Also, when she started, “those were the days of the pasted-up pages on waxed sheets and a big camera to take the negs for the press. We had cameras with rolls of film, a clipboard and a line gauge. Now it’s digital cameras, cell phones and computers.”

A new resident to Salmon Arm, Sarah Sigurdson, who is taking over Brown’s position, has been job shadowing her for two months and is looking forward to getting to know the people and the community better.

The Observer wishes Penny the best in her retirement and thanks her for her years of hard work and dedication.



newsroom@saobserver.net
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