Anne Donovan is proof that hard work, a positive attitude, and commitment to growth will take you far—in your career and in life. She has a long history with Xenium—in fact, you could say she’s been with the company since the beginning.
Anne got her start as an intern at Express Employment Professionals, which turned into an entry-level role as a receptionist/payroll coordinator when she graduated from Willamette University. Over the years she continued to grow, learning the ropes on the staffing and recruitment side and picking up some leadership skills along the way.
When the owners of Express purchased a PEO to blend in their offerings, she became the first HR generalist hired for the Portland market. At that point, what would become Xenium was just a small team made up of a couple of people. Twenty years later, Xenium is 82 employees strong and growing—and Anne Donovan is the President of the organization. One of the coolest things, according to Anne, is that “Some of my direct clients back then are still our clients today. The fact that they’re still customers is really fulfilling.”
But any time you step into a new role, it doesn’t come without challenges. Support from her community was critical, especially in those first few years. Anne cites her family, colleagues and the team she’d grown with from the beginning as the reason she was able to rise to the challenge. As she explains, “When the role of President became available, it wasn’t something I was necessarily seeking. But it was time for me to step up. I needed to do it for my team and for my clients.”
The importance of giving back on a personal and community level is a consistent theme in her life, and in her work. “I am a very proud informational interviewer. If somebody I know says, “Hey, will you talk to this person about their career? I take it every time. This is part of giving back that everyone should do because that’s how people find jobs.” She’s also part of several peer groups, including YPO, where she has been committed to getting more women involved for many years.
On a community level, Anne is part of the Big Brothers Big Sisters board, which she has been involved with for the last five years. From raising money to having her own little sister, Anne is deeply involved in the organization. She lends her professional expertise by sitting on the HR Committee for BBBS to help their staff with internal HR policies.
She also sits on the Technology Association of Oregon board. As she explains, “When I started, we maybe had a handful of women on the board and now we’re getting closer to 50-50 representation, which is huge for the technology industry.”
Anne also likes to give back on a national level. She serves as a government affairs representative for NAPEO (National Association of Professional Employer Organizations) for Oregon, Washington and Alaska. She represents these states to help advocate for the PEO industry when she attends NAPEO’s national conference in Washington DC. At this conference, she helps the national organization navigate new employer and tax laws to ensure the industry is protected and can continue to operate.
The key to managing it all? Stay passionate. Anne cares about making an impact, whether she’s connecting with clients and coworkers or advocating for the industry. At the heart of it all, she says, “It’s about fostering relationships. That’s what really makes a difference.”