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Newsminders™

Mary Susan Anderson: Embracing Change

After years of balancing a full-time accounting career, Mary Susan Anderson wanted an employment opportunity that could adapt along with her.


When Mary Susan’s children were born, the rigors of a full-time position made it difficult to spend quality time with her children. Looking for an alternative that would better work with the new season in her life, she joined Bookminders part-time in 2008. “I was looking for a more flexible position that would afford me more time with my family. I had been paying for full-time childcare so the change to part-time was offset by the absence of that cost.”


Mary Susan spent over 21 years as a fulltime auditor and bookkeeper for Arthur Young and several other accounting firms. When she joined Bookminders, she recalled the opportunity to begin working immediately with a variety of clients and on different projects which was exciting and something she enjoyed. “I was doing similar work for my clients but each one had a different spin to it.”


Once her children started a full-time school schedule, she expanded her role with Bookminders; moving to the position of Senior Accountant in 2013. Despite the growth in her client roster and the adoption of new responsibilities, Mary Susan knew that she would always have an unparalleled level of flexibility. “The great part about Bookminders is you can pick up clients when you have time for more and say no when you don’t.”


After her children entered high school and were more independent, Mary Susan began to take on more responsibilities and accepted the position of full-time Project Manager in 2017. And while the transition from Senior Accountant to a management role required a greater time and work commitment, once completed, she was able to focus on the new duties and serve as a mentor to other staff. “Most importantly,” she reflects, “I continued to grow my career at a pace that fit my life.”


In early 2019, Mary Susan once again took advantage of Bookminders’ flexible growth opportunities as she began assuming Client Relation Manager duties. While she stepped out of her comfort zone in the new position, Mary Susan values the level of support available to her. “There’s always direction and resources available any time I’m asked to do something different. Bookminders has created that culture and takes responsibility for keeping it going.”


About Mary Susan: Mary Susan Anderson, a graduate of West Virginia University, is a Client Relations Manager for Bookminders Pittsburgh. She is a talented musician and avid volunteer for her children’s school activities, local church and Senior Citizens Aide.