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Campus News - January 14, 2002 |
Spotlight
Payroll's Whalen finds her swing second time around at UNM
By Laurie Mellas-Ramirez
Certified
Payroll Professional Christina Whalen will finish reconciling more than 19,000
W-2 Wage and Tax Statements for UNM employees this month. Behind every number
is a hardworker who deserves an exact accounting of his or her wages, she says.
"Customer relations plays a critical part in payroll. I try to put myself
in the employee's shoes. If you don't get a paycheck, or it's wrong, that's
personal," she says.
Whalen worked in UNM Contract and Grant Accounting from 1988 to 1992 before
moving to San Diego to take an accountant position with San Diego State University
Foundation. In 1997, after the birth of her daughter, she returned to UNM landing
a job in Payroll.
Nominated for the Spotlight for providing outstanding customer service, Whalen
describes her accounting functions in such clear detail that even a numbers
phobe is at ease. Aside from the year-round task of ensuring the W-2 process
runs smoothly, she works with accounts receivable, makes annuity payments, reconciles
employee FSA accounts "an awesome tax benefit" and pays UNM's state
taxes monthly.
"My job is to help employees. I want you to ask questions. Please don't
work here for 20 years not understanding your paystub or W-2," she says.
"I take pride in my customer service."
"I've always liked numbers," she shares. "I speak a second language
and I've heard that it taps the same side of the brain as does math."
The daughter of a Western European-born mother turned golf professional, Whalen
reads, writes and speaks German and earned a BBA at North Texas University on
a golf scholarship.
"I attended first through third grades in Baden-Baden, Germany. A beautiful
place most people have never heard of," she says. "I played golf all
through junior high and high school. I still do, but not as much as I'd like."
Whalen scored the letters behind her name in fall 2000. After completing several
UNM courses, she decided to take a shot at a master's and was recently accepted
to the Public Administration graduate program.
A single mom, Whalen keeps busy as co-coach of five-year-old Summer's soccer
team and right brain. "My daughter also speaks and understands German,"
she notes proudly.
"I love what I do now and I love working at UNM," she says with a broad smile. "I highly recommend it."
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