Mary Holland, CPP, a globally recognized payroll leader with more than 30 years of experience in payroll, finance, accounts payable, global payroll management, system implementation, multi-state taxation, and best practices was named PayrollOrg’s 2025 Global Vision Award recipient.

Holland received the award today during the General Session at the 43rd Annual Payroll Congress in Orlando, Fla.

“When I retired in June 2024, my intention was to embrace new adventures through travel while remaining engaged supporting global payroll professionals and the PayrollOrg community that has meant so much to me,” she said. “I never anticipated being recognized in such a meaningful way, and I am truly honored by this award.”

Holland earned her Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation in January 2003. She first became associated with PayrollOrg in 2004, when she joined the Silicon Valley Chapter of PayrollOrg.

The following year, she became a PayrollOrg member, where she has served on several committees including the CHAMPS committee, Strategic Payroll Leadership Task Force (SPLTF) Global Payroll Subcommittee, the Global Payroll Editorial Advisory Board, and the Global Education Advisory Committee.

Holland was also the Global Director, Strategy, Development, Training for PayrollOrg and received PayrollOrg’s Meritorious Service Award in 2011; Special Recognition Award in 2014; and, in 2016, she was awarded Payroll Woman of the Year.

“More than two decades ago, I entered the field of global payroll with little understanding of the extraordinary journey that lay ahead. At the time, it was simply a new professional opportunity,” she said. “Over the years, however, it evolved into a career that I have come to cherish deeply—one that has shaped me both personally and professionally.”

Holland recalled a pivotal moment in her career that also had a profound and lasting impact on her life.

She’d been invited to accompany the vice president of finance of one of the companies she consulted with on some international travel. It was a wonderful opportunity to see countries well beyond the borders of the United States.

“At that point, my only international experience was a visit to Canada. He shared that our first destinations would be India and Taiwan—and he told me, with certainty, that the trip would change my life,” Holland recalled. “I did not understand how two weeks abroad could impact me this way, but he was right. That experience opened my eyes and heart to the global nature of our work and ignited a passion that has guided my career ever since.

“Global payroll is far more than the administration of processes and numbers. It is a dynamic discipline rooted in people, cultures, compliance, technology, and leadership,” Holland said. “It is about creating impact across borders and navigating the complexities of a constantly evolving global landscape. It encourages growth, demands resilience, and offers lessons each day.”

Holland has presented at global payroll conferences in the United States, Ireland, the Netherlands, and England.

Throughout her career, she has been a catalyst for providing strategic global payroll expertise and is considered a passionate global payroll leader. She has worked on the content of the Global Management Certificate Program, Advanced Global Payroll Management Certificate Program, and Managing Payroll Operations Across the Globe. 

“Receiving this award is a deeply meaningful milestone—a full-circle moment that brings both reflection and appreciation,” she said. “I extend my sincere thanks to the mentors at PayrollOrg, the dedicated teams I’ve had the privilege to work alongside, and everyone who supported and believed in me throughout this journey. Thank you for this extraordinary honor.”

Bryan Kirk is the Senior Writer and Editor of Membership Publications for PayrollOrg