After more than two decades working in the Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES Business Office, Treasurer Cindy Pattington is still having fun each day.
Pattington first began her BOCES career in January of 1999 as an account clerk typist. After a short stint working for the City of Auburn, she returned to BOCES and has never looked back.
As time went on, Pattington worked her way up the business office ladder. Along the way, she served as account clerk typist, senior account clerk typist, junior account, deputy treasurer, and as treasurer since 2009.
“I have done every desk in the business office,” she said.
In her current role, Pattington works in a bevy of capacities, from acting as the bursar for the adult education LPN students, to handling varied aspects of accounting and payroll, to processing and reporting state aid for component districts.
Through it all, Pattington said one of the reasons she loves her job is because of the co-workers she is able to interactive with daily.
“It’s great working at a small BOCES, because I’m able to interact with the rest of the business office on a day-to-day basis. And when you work in a small business office like this, you really get to see everything come together at the end of the year,” she said. “The girls in the office will tell you, I get really excited at the end of the year when everything comes together.”
So, after two-plus decades at Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES, what keeps Pattington motivated each day?
“The fact that I get to work with numbers all day. I love paperwork,” Pattington said with a laugh. “It is just a great place to work. I love the variety of tasks that need to be done. In this particular role, you can make plans for what your day is going to look like, but there’s a chance you’ll be doing something completely different.”
Assistant Superintendent for Management Services Doug Tomandl said Pattington’s work ethic and enthusiasm are contagious, and create a great atmosphere for everyone in the office.
“Cindy often exceeds expectations when it comes to meeting deadlines and requests from vendors, employees and auditors,” he said. “Cindy consistently demonstrates initiative, perseverance, and an impressive attention to detail. She is a pleasure to work with and is always willing to support colleagues and collaborate to achieve common goals. Cindy is a huge asset to the BOCES and her hard work and dedication are truly appreciated!”
When asked what advice Pattington would give to a new BOCES staff member, Pattington said to not be afraid to ask questions.
“It takes at least three years on any of the desks in the business office to truly understand why you’re doing something. But we’re all here to help each other.”
In her free time, Pattington enjoys spending time with her husband, three children and two grandchildren.