A Legacy of Service: Laurie Linke Retires After 34 Years with MSS
Today we had the bittersweet honor of celebrating Laurie Linke as she heads into her well-earned retirement after 34 years with MSS! If there’s anyone who has truly earned the right to sleep in and not answer another call again, it’s Laurie.
Laurie started here on September 4th, 1991, as a Customer Service Coordinator. Our CEO still recalls her interview at our former headquarters, on the loading dock of all places! Ask anyone who was around during those early days, and they’ll tell you they were scrappy. Everyone rolled up their sleeves and did whatever it took to get the job done. Long hours, no frills, no fancy software to keep track of things. But they were building something special — together.
From those humble beginnings, Laurie became a cornerstone of our Customer Service operation. At least as far back as 1998, she was leading our remote shipper caller team — a group tasked with actually picking up the phone and speaking to every transferee before their move date and again on service day. Clunky systems and security protocols required full-time devotion to lists upon lists. Texting didn’t exist yet, e-shipper was still a dream, and Laurie’s day wasn’t done until she actually reached her customer.
Fast forward to 2008, when we created a client-specific team dedicated to streamlining transferee communication. Naturally, we tapped Laurie to lead it. Why? Because no one understood better than she did how to set the tone, explain our role, and build trust with our customers. And she carried that role with pride and excellence for years.
In 2020, Laurie made what was supposed to be a “temporary” move to Customer Care during a time of need — and of course she made herself indispensable. She stepped into a brand-new Subrogation role with minimal guidance — and in classic Laurie fashion, she figured it out. Five years later, she’s still in that role, still showing us how it’s done.
So, what’s it like to work with Laurie? Well, she’s by the book. Truly. The Customer Service team still keeps her original training manual from the 90s like it’s a sacred text. And she’s the kind of teammate who always goes above and beyond — sharing her knowledge, supporting others, and setting an example of integrity and professionalism every single day.
Outside of MSS, Laurie is even more impressive. She’s a devoted mom and grandmother who has sacrificed so much for her family. She found her person in Tom — and they’ve been blissfully married these past few years. She has a strong faith, an enormous heart, and a way of just… doing the right thing. Always. She even makes mats for the homeless out of woven plastic bags — and personally delivers clothes to people in need in downtown Philadelphia. She’s an angel among us, plain and simple.
The knowledge, the heart, the integrity Laurie brought to this place can’t just be replaced. We are so grateful for everything she’s given to MSS. We wish her happiness, peace, and well-deserved rest in this next chapter.
