Animation Guild | We are 839 Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1529871
WHAT ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES? My key responsibilities range from benefits administration to employee relations and HR matters. The lion's share of work is spent on the multi- employer 401(k) plan, where I have to interface with the recordkeepers, advisors, and administrators to make sure that the plan runs smoothly and is in compliance with all regulations. WHAT'S A FUN FACT ABOUT YOU? I love being creative in the form of crafting. In my free time, you'll often find me watching animated films or making custom crafts for school events, birthday parties, and other special occasions. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT YOUR JOB? My favorite part of this job would be the chance to create a positive and supportive work atmosphere with further improvements in policies of HR and administration of benefits. I enjoy building on the 401(k) system in place to make it even more usable and efficient for staff and Guild members. Therefore, I have the possibility to directly impact their long-term financial security in meaningful ways. A NEW CHAPTER AS TAG'S 401(K) PL AN ADMINISTR ATOR MARTA STROHL RETIRES, SHE REFLECTS ON A JOB THAT MADE HER FEEL AT HOME. Since Marta began working for TAG in 1996, she's seen what she calls a tremendous amount of change, from the growth in TAG staff and membership to changes in the 401(k) plan itself. Over the years, she built new workows and created new tools to handle the changes. "When I began, only a few studios were participating, and you could only enroll at a few times of the year," she says. "Now all studios participate, and members can enroll at any time, as soon as they become eligible. We even cover other unions under our 401(k) plan." Marta's TAG memories range beyond her actual job duties. She once spent an entire weekend at an industry convention booth with TAG's President Emeritus Tom Sito—he wearing a pirate costume—singing Union ght songs. "And there were moments when the ofce was more like family than my own," Marta says. TAG's former Ofce Manager Lynn Mantta threw Marta's baby shower, and Marta still has the sketches of her infant daughter in her arms from when they modeled for Glen Vilppu's art classes. "We all shared recipes and family photos, and pitched in to host the holiday parties, like it was for our own family," she says. As she moves into the next stage of her life, she's looking forward to more time with her family and working on her own arts and crafts projects. "It will be good to get things out of storage, like the potter's wheel and the lapidary rock saw," she says. "I may even learn some new skills like stained-glass art and glass blowing." She also discovered a love of snorkeling and kayaking on her last trip to Catalina with her daughter. Along with setting up and facilitating 401(k) accounts, Marta enjoyed helping members outside her ofcial role. "I have assisted members who needed loans to get through layoffs, gotten other members through difcult divorce split-ups, and helped the families of members that passed away," she says. "This is the type of work I have been most proud of in my years working here. Helping people that needed it when it mattered the most." WINTER 2024 17 T H E L O C A L