Employee Spotlight – Kristin Pook

by Heather James

While we curate expert commentary, opinion and thought leadership on this blog, we also want to use it to share good news and shout outs, so we created an ongoing series to showcase some our fabulous team members. Employee Spotlight may recognize a recent professional win, an unexpected kindness shown, a remarkable personal feat…really anything to help you become better acquainted with our excellent and valuable employees. We began by profiling Jamie DiGregory and continue today with Kristin Pook, one of our wonderful closing team leads.

Kristin was scheduling closings for a title company in her native Pittsburgh when Kara and I first met her about a decade ago. She was so good at her job and we respected her so much we always looked forward to working a closing with her. And we believe the respect was mutual.

“It’s true, Heather and Kara were professional but so kind, caring and had such great personalities that I really appreciated every time I got to close with them,” Kristin said. “Guess we just clicked even way back then.”

We had an opening at Cook & James and had more than a sneaking suspicion that Kristin would be the perfect fit.

“They made me an offer I just couldn’t refuse,” Kristin recalled. “I was pregnant – really pregnant – with my first son so I wasn’t sure how all this was going to work out. I was nervous but they’re just so amazing and such great people, I ultimately had no hesitation.”

Fast forward nine years (and another son) later, and Kristin does not disappoint.

“Kristin is one of the most responsible, hard-working team players. She leads by example and never gives up until the job is done,” said Brook Zink, vice president of operations at Cook & James. “We wouldn’t be the same C&J without her.”

Kara and I rely on Kristin as one of our most experienced team leads to make sure everything stays on task and everyone keeps all their multiple balls in the air. We had an inkling she was a fantastic juggler all those years ago and, like a fine wine, she’s only improved over time.

And that’s not easy, living in her own busy, testosterone-filled household. Connor at 9 years old is enthusiastic and positive about everything but busy. He especially loves learning about the outdoors in his Cub Scout troop and playing with his younger brother, who’s almost 7.

“Ryder is my ‘Evel Knievel,’ no brains, no fear kind of kid. We always say he’s going to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps and be a Marine…if he doesn’t go to prison first,” Kristin quipped.

And if it isn’t enough that her two young sons are super actively enjoying the outdoors, playing t-ball and just being boys, her husband is a park ranger. Kristin actually met Matt in middle school because her two brothers (one older, one younger) were in his Boy Scout troop and Kristin, the tomboy, tagged along on all the hikes and camping trips. She and Matt went to senior homecoming together – as friends – and didn’t realize they had crushes on each other until nearly 12 years later when they reconnected on Facebook.

“Matt affectionately says he married a Boy Scout and I do believe he did,” Kristin smiled.

Lest you think Kristin’s still all tomboy, in her downtime she loves to try new wineries, hang out with her girlfriends, and bake. In fact, at this writing Kristin is probably frantically preparing for her cousin’s “wedding cookie table,” a Pittsburgh tradition that Kristin wholeheartedly embraces. She considers her specialty cookie the peanut butter blossom, but people clamor for her mom’s best friend’s Buckeye recipe, a sought-after, secret formula Kristin still won’t share.

As full as Kristin’s household is, she makes room for Cook & James because she says it’s like being in another great big family and it’s the first job she’s ever absolutely loved.

“Everybody at Cook & James looks out for each other and that’s what I love most…that we always come together as a family, no matter where we’re from,” Kristin said. “I’ve spent nearly two decades in this industry and always wanted to get out. This job makes me want to stay.”