Lorraine Tolman, a National Life retiree who died in February, was featured recently in the magazine of AmericanPayroll.org. We’re reprinting it here.
Lorraine Delores Tolman, founder of the Green Mountain Payroll Association (GMPA) in Vermont, passed away February 19, leaving behind a rich legacy that the GMPA now stands on.
In 1967, Lorraine and her husband started a small business with six employees. At that time, there were no networks for payroll, and Lorraine felt frustrated trying to find answers. She often felt alone on a sinking ship.
Lorraine eventually joined the APA, but still something was missing. In August 1994, Lorraine and her colleagues at National Life sent out a letter to APA members as well as a few other businesses in the Barre/Montpelier area in the hopes of affiliating a new APA chapter. People responded, the initial meeting was well-attended, and they decided they would indeed create a chapter. On August 24, 1994, the group met again and named the chapter GMPA.
Robin Spitzer, past president of the GMPA, recalls being instantly inspired when she met Lorraine, who was GMPA President at the time. She and Lorraine served on the New England Payroll Conference committee for several years and traveled to the conference together.
“I quickly realized that Lorraine was a payroll professional who knew her facts, stayed up to date with the Vermont law changes, and was a fierce motivator of other members to spread the word about the GMPA and their importance as employees for staying informed,” she said. “I came to consider Lorraine not only a friend, but a mentor in both my career and life. She offered advice that assisted me in many of the decisions I had to make both professionally and as a single parent. The state of Vermont and the GMPA have benefited greatly from her knowledge, her dedication, and her passion for the payroll profession.”
Janis Blais, past president of the GMPA and current Payroll Tax Administrator for National Life Insurance, said Lorraine was instrumental in getting the chapter started back in the early ’90s.
“She worked hard to get the word to businesses throughout the state of Vermont,” Blais said. “Lorraine was passionate about the payroll profession and wanted to bring attention to the importance of payroll to the business community. Lorraine’s hard work and dedication to our profession has kept the Green Mountain Payroll Association alive and active in Vermont.”
Rosemarie Fraumeni, CP P, Payroll Manager for Presidio, Vice President of the Greater Boston Chapter, and Chairperson for the New England Payroll Conference, said Lorraine was on the New England Statewide Committee almost from the beginning and was the chairperson for two years when the conference first went to Vermont.
“Lorraine was the voice of reason on the committee,” Fraumeni said. “She always saw the brighter side of an issue. Lorraine always had a smile for everyone and would help with any question an attendee had.”
Lorraine was proud of founding the GMPA, and the chapter feels privileged to be able to continue in her memory.