Introducing our new vice president of finance

Ask Michelle Payne what she loves about finance, and she’s sure to use words like “creative” and “strategic.”

Not words you’d typically associate with numbers? Well, meet our new vice president of finance. 

“I was attracted to the position because I could see that this was a job that didn’t just ask me wear my financial hat,” Payne said. “There are two sides to me—one that is very numbers oriented, and one that seeks out creativity and collaboration. I have always had an underlying desire to work closely with other people and have an impact on my community. The Quad Cities is special—and I’m excited to be part of supporting it.” 

The mother of three children, Payne has her hands in a number of initiatives. She is involved in many volunteer roles throughout the community and enjoys sharing her diverse skill set with others—sometimes it’s designing a new company logo, other times it’s helping a small business get set up on QuickBooks. She also owns her own business, Michelle’s Creative Cookies, which started as a hobby and grew into a thriving operation. “It’s something I get to do with my young daughter, which is especially wonderful,” she said.

(We’re crossing fingers that we get to try her cookies sometime soon!) 

A native of the Quad Cities, Payne attended Minnesota State University in Mankato and earned a bachelor’s of science in accounting. After graduation, she returned to the Quad Cities where she completed her CPA and gained valuable experience in both public and private accounting, serving in a variety of capacities and industries. In 2018, she went out on her own as an accountant to create more flexibility and allow space for creativity in her life.

And then, the vice president of finance role at the Quad Cities Community Foundation opened up.

“For me, company culture is really important—it’s huge,” she said. “The corporate environment wasn’t completely fulfilling for me and I wasn’t growing in the ways I desired to. From my very first interaction, I could see that the Community Foundation is an organization that cares about each other, the mission, and the community. We get to make a positive difference in the lives of people—in my work with numbers, and in our organization’s mission to transform the region.”

“I can tell our mission shines through in every person I’ve interacted with so far,” she added. “It’s great to be here.”