Wagner’s efforts extend beyond payday

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Laurie Wagner’s title may be payroll analyst at Quarles & Brady LLP, but that doesn’t nearly capture her long list of duties at the Milwaukee-based law firm.

Wagner enjoys the variety that her job brings her — it’s not just handling the company payroll and putting reports together. She volunteers with the company’s wellness committee and leads Quarles’ involvement in Aurora Family Services’ Family to Family Thanksgiving, which helps provide food to families in need at the holidays. She helps raise money from her fellow employees for the campaign and then Quarles matches that donation. In 2014, Quarles raised enough money to feed 396 families for Thanksgiving.

“It’s something I really enjoy. Last year we got employees together, even some attorneys, to help us pack up the bags of food for some of the families,” she said of the Quarles’ program she started in 1997. “It’s very rewarding to be involved in something like this.”

Wagner also coordinates the firm’s ticketing processes, allowing her to work closely with attorneys who are hosting clients at sporting or entertainment events. She’ll not only make sure everyone has the tickets they need, but also handles the extras, such as having guests’ names put on the scoreboard or putting together gift bags, said Tom Schoewe, Quarles’ chief financial officer.

“Laurie always goes the extra mile to make sure the needs of the firm, attorneys and employees are met,” Schoewe said.

With Wagner’s help in the past year, the payroll system went paperless, the firm transitioned its 401(k) processes to its vendor and upgraded to a new software platform.

“She is the consummate team player and effectively works well with other departments to solve their problems and processes,” Schoewe said, adding that Wagner assisted the human resources and finance departments as they collaborated on all three major projects.

Wagner, who has been at Quarles for 21 years, appreciated the firm’s values when she was looking for a new job after staying home for several years with her then-young children.

“The people who work here do the best for their clients and the attorneys really live the integrity that the firm has come to represent,” she said.