Helping people with their goals

Ron Schatschneider, a notary public in Cranbrook, B.C., enjoys his career helping clients with accomplishments

Ron Schatschneider finds his work as a notary public rewarding. — Photo courtesy Ron Schatschneider

A visit to a notary public usually signals a pivotal point in life. Although these legal professionals don't represent anyone in court, they are the go-to people for home sales, wills and powers of attorney, representation agreements, statutory declarations and affidavits.

Ron Schatschneider has been serving the community of Cranbrook, B.C., as a notary for 19 years. After a long career with the RCMP, he took over when his father-in-law retired. Schatschneider thought the work would be interesting and, after nearly two decades, he still enjoys helping people navigate their goals. He said that what he enjoys most is helping people accomplish something.

Most people who visit his office are prepared, Schatschneider said, but there are a few things to keep in mind.

“Generally speaking, when people get to this stage, they’re pretty prepared,” said Schatschneider. “If they’re buying a home, they should make sure that they’ve at least done some inquiries about house insurance (and should) make sure that their down payment funds are in place. (They need) to be prepared to spend some time going through the documents because, for a lot of people, it’s a learning curve.”

After nearly two decades as a notary public and almost three decades in Cranbrook, Schatschneider has found a life that he enjoys. He and his wife have lots of family in the area. He calls Cranbrook big enough to have everything he needs but small enough that he can easily enjoy the Kootenay pursuits of hiking and fishing.

“I’m just happy with what I’m doing,” said Schatschneider, who keeps a busy schedule. “I have good staff that help me accomplish what I do. I’m grateful for them.”