Saying Goodbye
It won’t be easy.
Barry has been an instructor with PAN for 14 years. The classroom, it seems, was a natural habitat for him. Upon graduating fromcollege, Barry taught health and physical education and was the basketball and baseball coach at Bishop Carroll High School in Ebensburg. He then moved onto a 23-year career with Conrail, of which the last 10 years were spent training other employees.
When railroad companies began merging, Barry could have taken a job with Conrail or Norfolk-Southern, but the positions requireda move away from Pennsylvania. He chose to not leave his son, Jarred, and the state, and soon joined PAN’s Education Department.
But now …
“You get to the point later in life and in your career when you just know it’s time to leave,” said Barry.
And he will certainly be missed.
“PAN has been honored that Barry has chosen to spend the end of his working years here with the Association,” said PAN PresidentMarc L. Aronson. “With his warm and engaging personality, he has been an asset to PAN and the notary community we serve.I wish him well in his retirement, and good golfing!”
Admiration From the Education Department
“Barry is not only an amazing trainer, he is an amazing person. If you have taken Barry’s seminars, you already know what I’m talking about,” said Instructor Heather Carbonara. “When I was asked to talk about Barry, I sat and stared at my computer screenfor what seemed like forever. How do I put into words someone who not only do I admire as a co-worker,but someone I admire in my personal life? The office will not be the same without Barry’s smile, laughter and of course, his sarcasm.”
Instructor Brian Crocker paid homage to Barry’s teaching style.
“Learning from Barry was easy, when I started with PAN in 2004. His style was relaxed, but he kept his classes engaged and entertained,” Brian said.
For Education Coordinator Ruth Kohler, it was a trip to Wilkes-Barre that she remembers fondly.
“When Barry first started teaching here, I went with him to help him with the notary and motor vehicle seminars. While in Wilkes-Barre, he took me to my first Baby Penguins hockey game when goalie Marc-Andre Fleury started with the minor league team,” said Ruth. “Barry is a great guy and I’m going to miss him.”
Jon Marencel, who is replacing Barry as an instructor,said this particular quote sums up his feelings on working with Barry. "Surround yourself with good people; people who are going to be honest with you and look out for your best interests."
“I think this sentiment hits the nail on the head regarding my relationship with Barry,” Jon added. “He has helped me grow tremendously since I started traveling and training with him.”
Brian Dowd, manager of marketing and training and customer service, has worked with Barry for 13 years.
“Barry is one of the finest trainers I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with,” he said. “Barry has taught me a great many things and he’s done thesame for thousands of notaries throughout Pennsylvania. His teachings will forever be valued by those he taught. Thank you Barry, for your tremendous service to the Pennsylvania Association of Notaries.”
Giving Credit to a Former Colleague
Throughout his years at PAN, there was one person who Barry credited with having the biggest influence on him - former PAN Instructor Michael Sobehart.
“When I started working at PAN, Mike was one of the first people I met. He took me under his wing and taught me everything that notaries and PennDOT agents did.I took many notes while observing Mike’s seminars and I thought, ‘how am I ever going to learn all of this information?’ Mike brought me along slowly and it all worked out,” said Barry.
Mike left PAN about three years ago to pursue another training position. Barry said they kept in touch and got together every two or three months for dinner and to catch up. Sadly, Mike passed away in 2015.
“I will never forget the impact that Mike had on me,” Barry said. “I still miss him.”
Barry admitted he will also miss his PAN co-workers, especially members of the Education Department: Heather, Brian Crocker, Ruth, Jon, and Brian Dowd.
Traveling around Pennsylvania and meeting new people were some of Barry’s favorite aspects of the job.
“Helping notaries develop good notarial habits for first time notaries and helping those coming back for reappointment change some bad habits and getting them back on the right track, was a satisfying part of my career here at PAN,” he added. “Seeing parts of Pennsylvania that I never knew existed, like the Little Grand Canyon near Wellsboro, was fun. And, by the way, it is beautiful.”
After he retires, Barry plans on “doing a lot of golfing and some traveling with Kay,” his lady love. “Joining a gym wouldn’t be a bad idea to try to get back into somewhat decent shape,” said Barry with a laugh. “I also believe that my black Lab, Vegas, and I will become the very best of friends.”
Tears will be shed on June 2 as we say goodbye to our dear friend. We love you, Barry. We’re going to miss your quick wit, your laughter, and your intelligence.
