Downs and Associates’ Jan Windle Retires

A celebration was held at Downs and Associates in Jasper to honor retiring employee Jan Windle. Jan is a staff accountant and is responsible for monthly accounting compilations, company payrolls, sales, and payroll tax returns. "Jan actually has been here longer than I have,” says managing partner Joe Downs. “She started back when I was in high school or college.”Jan officially retires on October 31 with 21 years of service. Although she’s excited about the next chapter of her life, she says she will miss coming to work. “Everybody here has become family to me,” Jan says. “I’ve probably spent more time with them that with my family. I’ve gotten close to a lot of my clients too and call them friends. I've enjoyed working here over the years. It's been a really good place to work."So, what’s ahead for Jan? She plans on spending more time with her grandchildren, but she has a few other ideas as well. “We've just moved into a new place with some land and I want to do some yard work, get the house fixed up,” she says. “I hope to travel some. I'd like to go up to Canada, New England, and see some of the national parks."Originally from the Pleasant Grove area, Jan is a graduate of Jacksonville State University. She began working for the firm in 1996.“She's been a very valuable asset,” Downs added. “The firm is going to sorely miss her.” 78