In a bold black-and-white suit, Linda Pappillion, CPP, took the stage at the Payroll Congress General Session for her Industry Expert session “Forged Through Experience: A Payroll Career Defined by Grit and Growth.” Her goal was to give the crowd an understanding of how important their roles are in companies.

“It’s about dignity,” she said. “When we process it under pressure and meet an impossible deadline, we understand that responsibility.”

“She had great information and was informative and engaging,” said attendee Jessica Hullman, CPP, Director of Payroll at Yellowstone Club. “They all were. This is my first time here, so I am really enjoying the lineup.”

 

 

Pappillion is the Assistant Director, Payroll Production at the University of California—Office of the President. She’s held roles in payroll for decades but said she is still learning new elements as she goes along in her career.

“The goal never disappeared,” she said. “Today, I am not defined by whether my journey is complete, but whether I have stopped growing. Success is not measured in professional milestones, but the life we build along the way.”

“She was very inspiring,” said attendee Teri Creamer, Human Resources and Payroll Manager at Lewis Electrical Contractors. “It's been almost 10 years since I stepped back into the workforce and her story reminded me of the people I had to help me get where I am now.”

Pappillion said she was the mother of two children and happily found the love of her life in the latest chapter of her life. She said all this transitions into her career, where it all comes full circle.

“Our career is built on relationships,” she said. “Leadership in payroll is not about control but about responsibility, service and helping others succeed. We are the keepers of trust.”

 

Emily West is a freelance writer in Nashville, Tenn.