Today we’d like to introduce you to Sandy Beach.
Sandy, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
It’s been a long winding road on my way to becoming a public servant. I was raised in the heartland; Kansas and Missouri. I started out as an accountant in a small manufacturing company until I was lucky enough to land a job with a Fortune 500 company in Kansas City, Missouri. The great thing about working for a large company is that you have the ability to work in many different departments and divisions. I started in payroll, then moved to the corporate accounting department where we consolidated all of the different business units, but wanted to learn more. That’s when I decided to move to the feed division and worked as an auditor for a new partnership with local coops. That job gave me the opportunity to travel to different states performing audits. My final job there was working in the transportation department which moved product from the company.
My fiance lived in the Atlanta area, so in 1997, I left all of my family and friends to move to the southern Atlanta suburbs where I still live today. I was an accounting manager for a chemical manufacturer and then worked for a short stint as an accounting manager for a daily paper where I learned a lot of new things. I left for a better opportunity at a financial company that was listed one year as one of the top 100 fastest growing companies in the United States. Then, I finally landed as a public servant with the Town of Tyrone where I am currently the Finance and Human Resource Manager.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As with most people, the road to my success was not always smooth. I was laid off due to a merger with another company and later due to downsizing. Both times gave me a little shove and allowed me the opportunity to move on and learn something new. When my husband unexpectedly left and divorced me, I became a single mother at a time when I had taken a large pay cut in order to find a job during the recession. It was a very scary and depressing time in my life. It forced me to do a lot of reflection and once again dig deep inside myself, and with God’s help, to make my own path.
My advice to young women is to not be afraid to go outside of your comfort zone and try new things. You may eventually find yourself in a career that you love, even if it’s one that you have never thought about before.
Be prepared to work with or for someone who doesn’t believe in your talent and is predicting or hoping that you will fail. It’s inevitable that you will encounter this at some point in your career. Ignore those people, work hard and prove them wrong. It is very satisfying and gratifying when you succeed in something that others, or perhaps at times maybe even yourself had doubt about.
Please tell us about Town of Tyrone.
As the Finance and Human Resource Manager for the Town of Tyrone I wear “multiple hats.” I am responsible for all the town’s finances which is a huge responsibility. As keeper of the tax payer’s money, it is my responsibility to produce the budget each fiscal year that is taken to the Town Council for approval and to make sure it is followed throughout the year. All the accounting functions of the town also fall under my responsibility. Since I am also the Human Resource Manager I pay all the employees, maintain all employment records, determine and manage the employee benefits each year, and manage the Town’s insurance records. It is an honor to work for the citizens of Tyrone.
One of the things that set the Town of Tyrone apart from many other municipalities is our healthy finances because we are careful not to waste money. Our elected officials truly care about the residents and the town. We were voted as the Happiest City in Georgia a few years ago and are usually in the top ten safest cities in Georgia each year. We have a fantastic group of employees and consider ourselves a family. Everyone helps each other out to achieve success. It is a wonderful place to work and I am truly blessed to be a part of it.
There’s a wealth of academic research that suggests that lack of mentors and networking opportunities for women has materially affected the number of women in leadership roles. Smart organizations and industry leaders are working to change this, but in the meantime, do you have any advice for finding a mentor and building a network?
I have always been lucky enough to work with and for some great people from whom I learned a lot over the years. Even if you aren’t as lucky or you work for yourself, I strongly encourage you to join as many organizations as possible. They are a great source of information and make it very easy to find a mentor to help educate and mold you. There are many municipal organizations to aid those who work for municipalities. Many of them use email blasts or listserves that allow members to ask or answer questions; as well as conferences, webinars, and/or classes for continual training.
Contact Info:
- Address: 881 Senoia Road
Tyrone, GA 30290 - Website: www.tyrone.org
- Facebook: @tyronegeorgia
Image Credit:
Samantha Cornett, Scott Beach
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