City News
It is with great honor that the four Division Managers in the Finance Department all unanimously and jointly recommend Carolyn Pederson, Accounting Technician Supervisor, for the Mayor’s Award for February. She was presented the award at the February 19, 2013 council meeting.
Carolyn embodies all of the characteristics of an exemplary employee, however, there is one characteristic that is of particular note, and that is her Leadership ability. Carolyn has many great qualities, too many to mention, but she stands out because she is a true leader. She manages her team of employees with humility, poise and the utmost professionalism. True leadership is displayed during tough times, and over the past few years, Carolyn has met all of the challenges presented to her and has displayed true leadership at every turn.
Carolyn joined the City of Huntington Beach sixteen years ago in 1997 as an Accounting Technician II in Business Licensing. Just four years later in 2001, she was promoted to a Senior Accounting Technician. Five years later, in 2006, she was again promoted, this time to Accounting Technician Supervisor where she currently oversees the City’s critical Accounts Payable process.
In this capacity, Carolyn oversees two full-time staff and is responsible for processing over 46,000 invoices each year for the City’s vendors. Not a single payment to a business or a vendor is processed by the City without it going through Carolyn. Her team also single-handedly administers the payroll for the City’s supplemental retirement program which provides supplemental retirement benefits to almost 700 retirees. Her team also administers the retiree medical payments to over 100 retirees. She is also responsible for such critical tasks as issuing the 1099s each year and processing about 46,000 accounts receivable invoices annually.
Carolyn is the equivalent of a Navy Seal in Finance – she has worked in many Finance specialties - business licensing - water billing - accounts receivable - accounts payable – and Payroll, and has performed in each area with excellence. She has also been chosen as the Finance Department’s lead on implementing the upgrade of the City’s financial system which has become too obsolete for the vendor to maintain on a go-forward basis. She has embraced and welcomed this significant responsibility while also handling her day-to-day responsibilities, all with great pride and dedication.
Carolyn has a Bachelor’s Degree from UCI signaling her commitment to improving her education and professional performance. She is a dedicated wife and mother and is joined in the photo by her husband, Kim, their two lovely sons, Nicolas and Matthew, Finance Director Lori Ann Farrell, fellow staff members, Mayor Connie Boardman and the City Council members.