APA and Me -- 30 Years and Going Strong
By Susan Darring, CPP

How would you describe your career in payroll? For me, it was a series of unintentional circumstances that led me to a most enjoyable and rewarding career, which still invigorates and challenges me. 

It all started before there were personal computers, email, or cell phones. I wanted to learn more about payroll to increase my knowledge and therefore add more value to my employer. At that time, there were limited resources available on payroll. We were a mere chapter in an accounting book. 

Then it happened, an event that would impact my life and my career. It was 1981 when I received an invitation to a payroll conference at the Drake Hotel in Chicago. At that time, payroll conferences were unknown events, even in a big city like Chicago.

The speakers there included a woman from Canada named Diana Ferguson, who had written a book about Canadian Payroll and a man named Donald Sharper, who represented an organization called AMR. It all sounded so good, the idea that there might be books dedicated to payroll, that there might be a community for people who work in payroll, and conferences that help explain business trends and changing regulations.

I wanted and needed more info, so I provided my contact information. Shortly thereafter, I was invited by another Payroll Manager to a meeting at a prestigious employer in the West Loop in Chicago. It was our very first Chicago Payroll AMR meeting. There I met people who do the same work as I do for some of the most well-known organizations in Chicago. I never thought I would have the opportunity to meet these lofty colleagues, yet I had the chance to meet and ask questions of them and share experiences with them. In addition to all of the networking opportunities, we received a newsletter called The Payroll Exchange, which highlighted some current topics in payroll. 

Then one day, as unexpectedly as it came, it vanished. The word was that AMR had filed for bankruptcy protection and our newsletter and our little group would be no more. Of course, we made the personal connections and we intended to maintain those but without the structure of an organization, we stopped meeting formally. 

Then one day, most unexpectedly, I received information from Donald Sharper about a new organization called the American Payroll Association, which would also continue publishing The Payroll Exchange.  They would provide education, networking, and payroll events such as conferences. The energy and excitement were rekindled. We would have an association just for payroll!

The first local APA conference I was able to attend in Chicago was at the Ambassador West Hotel. The speaker told us about compliance issues and a number of us thought we were going to jail directly after the conference. At each break, the long lines at the pay phones were to call our bosses and tell them about the drastic changes we needed to make in order for us to achieve compliance. Having help in interpreting rules as they related to our practical applications was significant for this audience, if not scary.

That is where I met Dan Maddux; nothing was ever the same.

One of the APA's agenda items was to start local chapters. With Dan's guidance, I volunteered to start a local chapter in Chicago. A colleague and I got the ball rolling and then the members and future officers made our chapter soar. The chapter was the first source for networking and information sharing. Some of my dearest and closest friends are from the Chicago Chapter.  
 

I became a speaker and presenter for the APA. I believed it to be so important for us to share what we learn. The more I gave, the more I learned. As I learned and shared, the more opportunities I was given and the better the jobs and the salaries I was able to land.

From the beginning, the APA was cultivating relationships with the institutions that govern payroll taxes. It was a surreal experience for me when the APA asked me to accompany Nora Daly to IRS headquarters in Washington, D.C. to address proposed tax deposit changes from an end-user--point-of-view. I was honored to represent APA members.

Over the years, the educational experiences, friendships, events, and community that the APA made available have had a significant impact on my life and my career. In 1990, I joined the APA Board of Directors. I learned so much about the organization. I felt even prouder to be a part of it all.  

In 1998, I had the honor of serving as President of the APA. It was a fairy tale year. I had the opportunity to meet so many colleagues by traveling to statewide conferences and National Payroll Week celebrations.

My personal memories are so much a part of my APA experience. Most of it was academic, but there is always time for fun at the APA.

Then there is the camaraderie. The APA mindset is one of support and friendship. My most cherished friendships are a result of the people I met through the APA. They have made my world a better place in countless different ways. Not only do we share our APA experience, but we have shared our lifetime experiences with each other.  We have helped each other find jobs, solve problems, and we become mentors and confidants to each other. 

After 30 years of affiliation with this organization, my respect and love for the organization, the staff, the board and officers, and the members continue to grow. 

The APA has given us the opportunity to continue learning and honing our skills, to be a part of the future of payroll, and to be a part of a community where business and personal relationships thrive.

I am so proud and honored to be a part of it. I may have accidentally "fallen" into the payroll profession, but I have never regretted staying!

* Editor's Note: Stay tuned for more great stories and memories by other APA members as we help celebrate APA's 30th Anniversary in each 2012 issue of PAYTECHonline.

Susan Darring, CPP, has been affiliated with the APA since its inception. She was a co-founder and three-term President of the Chicago Chapter, which chartered in December 1982.   Susan has been an APA speaker for over 25 years and has also taught APA courses. She has volunteered on many APA committees, such as the Hotline Referral Service, Chapter Recognition Committee, several of the Strategic Payroll Leadership Task Force (SPLTF) subcommittees, and even served as Chair of the Best Practices Subcommittee for three years. Susan is a Past President of the APA (1998) and has served on the Board of Directors of the APA in some capacity since 1990. She is currently the Corporate Member Advisor to the Board, which includes duties as a historian, a mentor to new officers, and the senior member of the Board's Executive Committee. Susan is also a past recipient of the Meritorious Service Award.