Pavion Women’s History Month (Ep. 5)

Episode 5 of our Women’s History Month mini-series features Silvi Hernandez, Pavion Chief Financial Officer;  Candee Lewis, Pavion Payroll Director; and Cicily Wright, Pavion Controller.  There’s been a shift in the workplace over the last 10-15 years. Women moving up the corporate ladder is being well received in financial roles, and this team reflected on their financial career paths up to their current positions at Pavion.

Silvi has over 25+ years of finance and accounting experience and supported past operational roles as well.  She has had some challenges in a male dominated industry, Silvi explains that leveraging different communication styles has been a challenge.

Candee has over 30 years of experience in payroll processing and worked her way through the ranks as payroll administrator, to manager, and now director.  Being in a male dominated industry has also challenged Candee.  It may have taken a little bit longer for some to realize her value, but she feels it has been smooth sailing at Pavion.

Cicily really enjoys juggling all the exciting different tasks and acquisitions since she joined Pavion. She has 25 years of accounting experience and is loving this Pavion community.  She tends to be more of a listener, which in the past has been her challenge.  She isn’t as assertive in a group setting, but she looks to her female colleagues to provide advice on how to interact in the group. Mentoring is a satisfying accomplishment that Cicily feels every day.

All three women are extremely content with their wins in the workplace.  Some of the characteristics of being a woman allow them to excel in the workplace.  Characteristics such as thoughtfulness, discipline, interest, and curiosity provide them a benefit in the ability to do their job, according to Silvi.

A major theme in this series is being a mentor. It makes these women feel that they can bring others up the ranks with them.  Based on their experiences, they were asked for words of wisdom they can offer those who are starting out and weighing their options. Cicily said, “Know your own values and know what you want to get out of your experience.”

Silvi recommends, “Mentorship is an excellent way of having a buddy, a partner that invests in you…Being the investor in others is something I really recommend.”

Ada Lovelace, the first woman computer programmer, is this episode’s women inventor spotlight. We can thank her for making this development in 1842, since we are so connected with and by this technology. Clearly the world today communicates by using computer technology, giving us the ability to do things with automation while improving accuracy and efficiency.

Its really interesting to see how society has evolved and the computer has made everything much easier. “Those processes and automations have made my job that much easier,” said Candee.