Jon Schausten, CPP, is the American Payroll Association’s Region 2 Advisor on the APA’s Board of Advisors. He serves as the liaison between APA and local chapters in South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan. Learn more about Jon with our exclusive Q&A session!
Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I live in Indianapolis, IN and I am the Director of Payroll and HRIS for OneAmerica. I have worked in payroll and human resources for the last 22 years. Like most payroll professionals, I accidentally ended up in payroll. My first taste of payroll happened while managing a grocery store, when we replaced our DOS based timekeeping system for Kronos for Windows. The project resonated with me and I helped with our other stores, training managers on how to write schedules, fix punches, and approve time.
Outside of payroll, I like to work on projects such as landscaping and woodworking. Four and half years ago, my wife and I bought an old farmhouse surrounded by a 160-acre farm that was built in the 1860s. I enjoy cooking and I make most of the meals, including homemade pancakes for my four kids every Saturday!
How long have you been involved with APA and Local Chapters?
I joined the APA and became involved in the Indianapolis Chapter of the APA in 2001, when I attended my first meeting and took our CPP Study Group to earn my CPP. I earned my CPP in 2002. I felt a need to give back to the Indy Chapter for their help in preparing me for certification, so I looked for ways to help. Over the years, I became the Government Liaison Officer, Secretary, Instructor for the Indy APA CPP Study Group, President Elect (4 times), President (4 times), Past President (4 times), and the Indiana Statewide Chairperson for five statewide payroll conferences.
I got involved with APA on the national level by first joining the Hotline Referral Service. With the encouragement of Jim Medlock, CPP to join a national APA committee, I joined the SPLTF Manufacturing Best Practices Subcommittee in 2016. This fed a fire to do more and I subsequently joined the Social Networking Committee (#apasnc), GRTF Retirement Accounts, GRTF State and Local Topics, and the GRTF for IRS Issues where I became the Co-Chair in 2020. In 2016, I joined the APA’s Board of Advisors (BOA) for Region 7 where I served for two years, and then accepted an invitation to return and fill a vacated Regional Advisor position for Region 2 in 2019.
I won a PRISM Award for Management in 2017. I have also presented at the APA’s Annual Congress twice, as well as at the Chapter Leadership Summit, a GPMI webinar, multiple Indiana Statewide Payroll Conferences, the Indianapolis Chapter, the Michiana Chapter, and the Columbus Area Chapter.
What advice would you like to give to the chapters in your region?
The best advice that have I received and shared as a chapter leader is don’t be afraid to ask for help! No one can do this alone, and payroll professionals always jump into help! Our chapter in Indianapolis rotates members from one office to another, and we were struggling to find people to participate and volunteer. I asked for help and we had three members step up this year and volunteer to be Secretary, Treasurer, and President! This also applies to other chapters. We had a situation where we had participants in our CPP Study Group struggling to pass their exam. I contacted 10 other chapter across the U.S. and every one of them spoke with me, offered suggestions, encouraged us to try new ideas, and checked back with me to see how our changes went.
My other piece of advice is to just say YES to new opportunities! Find a local chapter in your area and say YES to becoming involved. Find ways to participate and help the group. Say YES by volunteering for one of the many national APA committees and participate in their meetings. These individuals become great colleagues who help you in your career with advice and mentorship, and they also often become great friends!
What are some chapter issues you have helped resolve?
I helped a chapter that struggled getting their RCH requests approved for their meetings. I contacted the APA and asked what I could do to help get the topics and speakers approved, and we worked to resolve the issues. I also helped another chapter connect with a vendor that I knew would support them and speak at their local chapter meetings. This started a relationship between the chapter and the vendor, which now presents every year at one of their chapter events.
What APA resources would you recommend to the chapters in your region?
CHAMPS is the best underused resource the APA provides! CHAMPS, or Chapters Helping APA-chapters Make Payroll Shine, connects local chapters to other chapter volunteers that can assist with any issue facing your chapter. I cannot say enough about how great this group is and all they have done to help me as a chapter leader.
Are you a proud chapter leader in Region 2? Introduce yourself to Jon in the comments or send him an email.
Jon Schausten, CPP began his 2-year term as the Region 2 Board of Advisor in May 2019.
