Member Spotlight: Patricia Lima

CUNA Councils
December 8, 2006

Patricia Lima was born in Old Town, Maine and later moved with her family to Mystic, Connecticut, when she was in her teens. Her career at Charter Oak Federal Credit Union began in 1965 when she was hired out of high school as a secretary in the collections department. Since that time she has worked as a teller; administrative assistant to the CEO, and benefits administrator and payroll administrator in HR. Her current position is vice president of administration, which includes overseeing benefits and payroll, training, and administration.

“After 41 years at Charter Oak I truly feel that the employees and board of directors here are part of my family,” she says. “I feel so fortunate to have been with a terrific company since I was 18, that cares so much for its employees and treats them like family.”

Biggest challenge

There are so many! Certainly keep NCUA happy with a plan for possible pandemics will be a challenge. Being able to maintain our health-care plan without breaking the credit union will also prove interesting. Training our employees on fraud issues is also a difficult task, considering the fact that "crooks" lay awake at night hatching their latest scams.

Best advice

Document, document, document. It really is a huge responsibility for HR people to make sure managers document properly and truthfully on performance reviews etc. How many times have you been faced with managers who complain constantly, but never document or write up the person when they have the opportunity?

Greatest benefit of Council membership

The continuous flow of useful information! The Council website has so many great resources such as policies, procedures, job descriptions—you name it. I love being able to pose a question on the Listserv and receive so many great suggestions. Being able to pull from such a huge pool of experience is a big plus.

Best part of my job

Working with such WONDERFUL people. HR is such an important part of the company—it’s truly the heart of the organization.

Hardest part of my job

Being patient when people complain about the little things. This is such a great company to work for and I truly feel people make of it what they put into it. I find it difficult to listen to the whiney complainer and bite my tongue not to say, "Would you like a little cheese with that whine?”

Success story

Getting managers to sit with new employees on a monthly basis for the first six months with our company. We developed a performance review form that mandates feedback from the manager, sets goals for the next month, and encourages give-and-take between the manager and new employee. The form then goes to the department manager, CEO, and VP of administration for sign-off before it’s shared with the new employee. At the end of six months, new employees are on the right track as far as sales and expectations for performance.

Hobbies and interests

I LOVE to cook, as well as reading a good book and playing with my grandkids.

People would be most surprised to learn that . . .

Plan to retire in two years when I’m 62.

Recent book

I love to read books about the Amish. I just read a series of books by Wanda Brunstetler that I couldn't put down.

Life goal not yet accomplished

I am one of those fortunate people that feels I have accomplished more than I ever expected in my career here at COFCU. When I started it was only going to be a temporary job, not a career. I was going to be a stay-at-home mom! Forty-one years later I am still here, fortunate to have made it to VP of administration. I thank the credit union forgiving me a chance to learn and grow along with it.

Something that always makes me laugh

My grandchildren make me laugh every time we are together. One of them told me the other day that money does grow on trees—she planted a penny and dollars grew on a tree. Of course, when they came out on a windy day the dollars all blew away. . . . She tells great FISH stories too!

If I had an extra hour in the day I’d . . .

Visit my mom. She’s getting on in years. We would sip wine and relax on her porch swing.