2024 Women of Distinction – Jean Tasker

Owner-Operator
J&T Country Feeds

What’s your proudest moment either personally or professionally?

Personally – I am most proud of the two sons that I have raised, Hunter 27, & Evan 25 with my husband Mark.  They are kindhearted, thoughtful, strong willed, hardworking young men.  I also have a beautiful new grandson Darren who we are just in awe of.   Professionally – I have been at The Bank of Estes Park since September 2001.  I started as a Teller & transferred to the Bbookkeeping & Operations Dept, & am now the AVP of Operations.  I am also the HR Asst.

How do you like to unwind?

My husband Mark & I enjoy the outdoors, he’s an avid hunter & fisherman, sometimes I tag along – but I definitely enjoy the fruits of his labors – we enjoy cooking together, playing with & being entertained by our silly Beagles Steve & Hazel, & we are lifelong fans of the Buffalo Bills. We are very close with our family & friends, we love almost every genre of music, & I do yoga & walk the Lake Estes Trail with my friends.

Who is your mentor or role model?

I would say that my first role model in life that I looked up to the most was my Grandma Jean (my namesake & we just celebrated her 100th birthday in July!) She instilled in me a love for all animals, music, hard work, nature & I’d like to think I got a little bit of her green thumb.  She was very involved in her local animal shelter until just a few years ago & also President of her Senior Group & Choir.  So she definitely set an example of volunteerism for most of my life.  Also, Scott & Katie Webermeier, my first employers in Estes Park (owners of the Other Side Restaurant) definately set an example of hard work & community involvement.  I watched & learned from them as they raised their four children, ran a successful business & volunteered & contributed to the betterment of our community on a daily basis.  Last but not least – my bosses, Tim Hull (Bank president / retired) & Scott Applegate (current Bank President) Time & Scott have been outstanding role models in both Banking & volunteering in our community.  They both participate in several organizations in the Estes Valley & they both happily support & encourage myself & coworkers to do the same.

What’s ahead for you personally or professionally?

Personally – my husband Mark just recently (June 1st) started his own business, Tasker Plumbing Works, and I am helping him with the bookkeeping side of things. So far it is going great – he is a Master Plumber with 20 + years experience – he hit the ground running on his first official day, with several new construction jobs previously lined up, & the phone is still ringing. Also, I have co-founded a brand-new nonprofit – The Bridge of Estes. We are fiscally sponsored by another nonprofit in Estes Park, Crossroads Ministry.  Our mission is to bridge the gap between the wellness needs of those facing cancer with local resources and support.  We had a successful first fundraiser in June – a recycling event, “The Shred of Hope”, sponsored by The Bank of Estes Park, focusing on cyber security, recycling computers, laptops, cell phones, tablets – anything with a hard drive, as well as bank statements, tax documents – anything with sensitive data.  All of the proceeds went directly to The Bridge of Estes. With the funds raised – as well as additional donations that have come in since then through word of mouth & employer matching donations, we will soon be able to start offering vouchers to local cancer patients in the Estes Valley & surrounding areas, vouchers to help pay for integrative holistic treatments such as acupuncture, massage, chiropractic care, housekeeping, & fuel cards.  We are also looking to start support groups for both cancer patients as well as for spouses & caregivers.  This is a real need in the Estes Valley – we are pretty much an isolated community tucked away in the mountains, & cancer patients already have to travel out of town for their treatments, scans, appointments, etc. these additional complimentary treatments can really make a difference in both their lives as well as for the side effects of their treatment.  We are currently looking for service providers to partner with us & be willing to discount their services to our clients as well be paid through our voucher program –  the vouchers are like gift certificates that clients use to pay for services (at no cost to them) that we in turn pay the service providers for with the donations that we receive.