Mary started at Americo in 2004 as a Staff Accountant but transitioned into her current role last year. When offered the position, she took time to think about what that would mean for her - working with new people and learning new processes. It was her husband, Aaron, that pushed her to accept it. Mary described that moment: "He said, 'People who move grow,' and he was right. I ultimately did it for the greater good; somebody off the street may have failed, but my institutional knowledge benefitted me and the role." She added that the transition has been one of the most impactful moments of her career at Americo.
Mary knew that she had always wanted to work in an accounting role. Her mom was a teacher, and she took her students to Exchange City, which was a simulated town for young students to learn about the workforce and economy. She brought home blank checks for Mary, who loved them; not many parents can probably say that about their children. Mary began taking accounting classes in high school, and after graduating from college, she's worked in the industry ever since. Her former manager, Crystal Mainard, Senior Manager, Statutory Reporting, described Mary as a dedicated associate who is always willing to help others. "While in the Financial Reporting group, she was an integral part of streamlining processes. She enjoys looking for ways to automate certain manual tasks so they are less time consuming so she can focus on analytical review," Crystal shared. "Mary is a great asset to Americo, and she's always putting in extra effort to get things accomplished."
Her day-to-day responsibilities as a Senior Investment Accountant include reconciling statements and partnering with internal stakeholders and external vendors for data collection. There's a big focus on monthly transactions, with the ultimate goal of producing financial statements. Senior Vice President & CFO Dennis Walsh added, "Mary is one of the most positive faces in our department and a joy to work with." It's obvious that Mary genuinely enjoys her job, and her favorite thing is automating processes. She said that she likes the learning experience of seeing a process go from initial failure to implementation. "I love Excel and using tools like it to make processes more efficient. I mean, I love spreadsheets, and I use them at home too." All of us could probably benefit from being a bit more like Mary.
Monika Gray, Senior Manager, Corporate Accounting & Finance, described Mary as a true team player. "When Mary joined the investment accounting team, she brought a fresh look at the processes. She is an improvement aficionado and uses Kaizen principles to find ways to convert lengthy tasks to easily manageable jobs. In addition, she refines procedures that lead to high-quality reporting and time savings. Mary has incredible technical skills, and she quickly became an expert in resolving complex tasks using Macros and advanced formulas. Creativity is not always associated with accounting, but I see her creative nature through her work." Monika added that Mary is always eager to share her knowledge, offering help with a smile.
But what's kept her here for almost 20 years? "Americo is a great company to work for, and the little things add up. Even in times of stress, I've enjoyed my work." Mary also has an evident passion for her role and her responsibilities. She added that everyone at Americo - from those that work with our policyholders to those that pay our claims - has a financial impact, and she stressed the importance of diligence.
"Americo is a great company to work for, and the little things add up. Even in times of stress,
I've enjoyed my work."
Diligent is a great way to describe Mary herself. She has a variety of interests and hobbies, and she enjoys learning and exploring life. However, she admitted that some hobbies don’t stick, like her stints with crocheting, sewing, and card making. But the one that did was roller derby. "I skated as a kid," she said, "So putting on skates was not the problem. The problem was getting hit. But you kind of fall in love with the experience." Mary also started taking piano lessons a couple of years ago after her husband gifted her a keyboard, and she sings at church too. We'll probably find her learning more instruments for a one-woman band here before long.
Mary's nature makes her a great fit for this role; it's not just that she loves numbers and spreadsheets; it's her openness to learn and try new things, continuously bettering herself and the things around her. Thank you, Mary, for your commitment to Americo and for always saying yes to opportunity.
