After three decades of faithful service, Shryln Treadwell’s mark on WatersEdge will endure.
At first glance, Shryln Treadwell is all business, and she has the resume, credentials and professional polish to back that appearance up. But to those who know her, it’s clear that what matters most are people — both her coworkers and the clients she serves.
For 36 years, Treadwell was an integral part of The Baptist Foundation of Oklahoma, now WatersEdge. She’s seen remarkable growth, helped pioneer a rebrand, and followed a career path that led her to the role of chief operating officer and president of WatersEdge Advisors. Through the ups and downs of that path, she never lost sight of the organization’s purpose — to financially empower donors and ministries to change lives with the Gospel.
“One of my fondest memories here is actually a funeral,” she says. “It was for a trust client that neither I nor any of the staff had known, but he named WatersEdge as representative and left a ministry gift. At his funeral, there were only four people in attendance, and we were all WatersEdge staff: Robert Kellogg, Paul Kersh, John Schantz and myself. It was incredibly meaningful that we could be there to honor him.”
For those who worked with Treadwell over the decades, that dedication to people is what sets her apart. “She’s been a mentor and friend to many over the years,” says Jerry Vaughan, WatersEdge chief lending officer. “For me, she’s gone from being a coworker to a friend and confidant.”
Robert Kellogg, WatersEdge CEO, echoes this. “Our clients, the WatersEdge team, Oklahoma Baptists — and me, especially — owe Shryln a debt of gratitude,” he says. “I think I had unrealistically high expectations of her, and she exceeded them all.”
There are certainly many pivotal moments Treadwell points back to, like when WatersEdge received its first $1 million gift or crossed the $500 million threshold in assets under management. But after her retirement at the end of last year, she’s most excited about the future. Treadwell plans to move to Lawrence, Kansas, to be closer to her daughters, Katie and Emily, and the true loves of her life: her grandchildren. Whether taking family trips to Galveston or traveling the world for Katie’s marathons, Treadwell’s calendar will remain full — and that’s just fine with her.
By Kedrick Nettleton
