Pictured L-R: Dawn Curis, CPP; Ken Pullar, former Chief Executive Office of The Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP) in the U.K.; Dan Maddux, PayrollOrg Executive Director; and Jason Low, Head of The Association of Payroll Specialists (TAPS) in Australia.

PayrollOrg has more than 20,000 members and although many of them have probably attended at least one of PayrollOrg’s 41 previous Annual Payroll Congresses, there are still some who haven’t.

For 15 years, Dawn Curtis, CPP, was one of those payroll professionals who’d never had a chance to attend a Payroll Congress. But that all changed in 2023, when for the first time, PayrollOrg hosted the 41st Annual Payroll Congress in Denver, which allowed Dawn to attend and see for herself what all the excitement is about.

“Congress wasn’t too far from my home last year, so I didn’t have to travel very far to attend,” she said. “I have always wanted to go, but I have always worked for a small company, so it was cost prohibitive.”

At the start of each year, payroll professionals—especially those who’ve faithfully attended Payroll Congress for many years—mark their calendars and make their reservations for attending, excited about making new connections, seeing old friends, and learning something new in the payroll space.

Payroll professionals who’ve attended Payroll Congress year after year often compare it to a family reunion, but for a first-time attendee, it’s a rite of passage that feels like a gigantic group hug.

“It was great, and I wish I could go every year,” she said.

Dawn enjoyed the classes, the presentations from industry experts, and the keynote speaker presentations.

She recalled a story that Bill Stainton, CSP, CPAE, the 2023 Opening General Session keynote speaker, shared of an experience of being on a plane and reluctantly speaking with the passenger sitting next him. Stainton said that although he’d been wary of the chat, in the end, it became an unforgettable and life-changing lesson.

Afterward, attendees at the session received a yellow dot pin, which Stainton said signified connection, collaboration, and having that “aha!” moment.

Dawn said hearing that particular story and receiving that yellow dot pin resonated with her.

“I have always been open to new opportunities and learning new things,” she said.

“There is always something new to learn and you never know what opportunities will come your way.”

She also loved being at the Expo because of the connections she made with vendors and being able to discuss partnership options one-on-one with them instead of emailing back and forth or talking over the phone.

“It was wonderful to be able to walk around and talk to everyone in between the different events and workshops,” she said.

She also had the opportunity to network, and to meet PayrollOrg Executive Director Dan Maddux, PayrollOrg President Linda Obertin, CPP, and several global payroll leaders.

“I came back from Congress with a whole renewed love of payroll. I learned a lot, and I met a lot of great people,” Dawn said. “It was like being immersed in payroll absoluteness for a week with like-minded people. It was pretty great.”

Dawn said she is still pumped after her first Payroll Congress and has shared all the wonderful things she learned that she feels made her a better payroll professional.

However, whether Dawn will be able to attend the 42nd Annual Payroll Congress that takes place May 7-10 in Nashville, Tennessee, hasn’t been decided yet.

“I have to price it out, and then state my case to my boss again about all the things I loved about Congress, and what I can get out of going again this year,” she said.

Need help convincing your boss? PayrollOrg has a letter you can download to inform your boss of the ways you’ll benefit from Payroll Congress.

Register for the 2024 Payroll Congress, so you can experience everything Dawn did at her first Payroll Congress.

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