The Payroll Post - July 2025 
President Letter
Dear Chapter Members,
As we embrace the warmth of summer, I hope this message finds you in great spirits and ready for the exciting opportunities ahead. I am delighted to announce two important initiatives that will take place over the coming months.
We are pleased announce that the Summer Study Group dedicated to those preparing for the Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) and Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) exams scheduled for the fall has been launched. This study group will provide a supportive and collaborative environment where members can benefit from shared knowledge, resources, and encouragement. Regular sessions will be held throughout the summer, allowing participants to deepen their understanding and refine their skills in preparation for the exams.
Mark your calendars for our annual Summer Social, which will take place on July 12, 2025, at Morgan Falls Overlook Park, Sandy Springs, GA 30350. This free event where we encourage you to bring your family and friends promises to be an afternoon of fun, networking, and relaxation as we come together to celebrate our achievements and enjoy each other's company. The Summer Social is a perfect occasion to connect with fellow members, exchange ideas, and build lasting relationships. We look forward to seeing you all there, and we are confident that it will be a memorable experience for everyone. We encourage all interested members to register via the website and make the most of this wonderful networking opportunity.
Thank you for your continued dedication and involvement in our chapter. Together, we can achieve great success and create a vibrant community of professionals.
Warmest regards,
Priti Rughani, CPP
Chapter President
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Chapter Member Spotlight
Chapter Member Spotlight – Michele Denise Baker
2025 PayrollOrg's Meritorious Service Award Winner
By: Kelly Young, CPP
I recently had the great pleasure of sitting down with Michele Denise Baker to learn more about her story. Michele was born and raised in MD, coming to GA on a move that wasn’t so much planned, as it was the right place at the right time. She began working at the ripe age of twelve and has, as she puts it, “dibbled and dabbled” in all different sectors. From babysitting and hospitality to working for a bank and managing a payroll team, Michele has held all kinds of titles, including wife and mother.
Michele will tell you that she never had a dream job scenario growing up. She just knew that she wanted to progress, stay challenged, build relationships, and never become stagnant. As I was listening to all these values, it began to click for me that she was describing what it means to be a payroll professional in a lot of ways.
Michele landed her first payroll job in 1988 as a payroll clerk for Shopper’s Food Warehouse (similar to Kroger for those who may not be familiar), which equates to over 35 years working within the payroll profession. At the time, she had to physically print and mail the checks! Let us all take a moment to appreciate how far payroll has come since then. Just like payroll, Michele has also continued to grow and evolve since that first payroll clerk position in 1988. She always asked herself, “What’s my next step and how can I do more, grow more.” She has worked for several companies since then, strengthening her skill set and becoming a people leader, a job she takes very seriously. While Michele understands the desire of others to stay with one company for lengthy periods, she has thrived on working for many different companies and industries. She feels this has enabled her to experience things that she may not have otherwise gotten to experience.
Michele describes being a people manager as one of the most challenging and rewarding parts of her overall career. She has 25 years of experience in mangement, leading teams of differing sizes. With each team made up of people with differing needs and wants from their management, she has always strived to provide each team member with what they need. She emphasizes the importance of learning from one’s team and not letting the daily stresses hold the reigns of the department. As she puts it, there will always be things you cannot control in payroll. A good team needs to focus on the things they can control and work together as one unit.
In addition to her extensive work history, Michele has also worked diligently to help the payroll profession progress. She has worked to do this both front and center, as the Chapter President for the MD chapter and more behind the scenes as a board member for the GAPA Chapter. Michele is a big proponent of increasing membership and adding new voices, believing that you can always grow in numbers, but you must also grow in experience and knowledge. She is excited about the current GAPA President’s initiatives on driving volunteerism from new members who can add a fresh perspective.
On a more personal note, Michele told me that she cared less about climbing the ladder/being competitive and more about how she can help others reach their goals. This does not mean she does not push herself with tenacity. Stepping outside of the mundane is obviously important to her. I could hear the excitement in her voice as she spoke of running 5ks and then 10ks just because she wanted to get herself off the couch; or when she volunteered at the Fox for a stretch of time to broaden her horizons and meet new people. (very neat pictures included). Michele is currently taking a break to spend time with her husband and family in NC. She describes this phase of her life as exploration time. While she does not know where this phase of life will lead, her passion for the profession and the relationships she has made over the years remain.
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PayrollOrg Congress
Virtual Payroll Congress
Reminder that Virtual Congress (On Demand) is available July 9 & 10th for 14 RCHs.
2026 Payroll Congress
Register today for next year's Payroll Congress - UNLOCKED THE HIDDEN KEYS TO THE PAYROLL PUZZLE.
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PayrollOrg News
Prism Award
Prism Award Has your team recently improved business practices and overall processes? Recognize their hard work and improvement by nominating them with a 2025 Prism Award. Click Here to Learn More!
National Payroll Week
National Payroll Week (NPW) is September 1st – 5th!
The annual “Getting Paid In America” survey is a vital aspect of National Payroll Week. This survey helps PayrollOrg understand employees’ concerns and preferences about payroll and wage payment trends impacting their paychecks.
Payroll Leaders Conference
This conference presents next-generation training through four different transformational certificate programs. Ideal for U.S. and global payroll professionals in a management role who want to increase their leadership skills, or professionals who aspire to be leaders within their organization. Click Here to Learn More!
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Chapter News
Summer Fiesta & Membership Drive
Join us on July 12th for the Summer Fiesta! Rain or Shine - we will be networking with our Atlanta payroll pros!
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Community Service
Our monthly community service project is our annual collecting of school supplies for local charities for BACK TO SCHOOL.
You may bring your items to the summer social or August meeting.
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Get Involved!
Committee Interests
Volunteer for one of our amazing committees!
Social Media
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