Behind every thriving city, there are passionate, dedicated workers who add life and vibrance to the community. In Valparaiso, Holly Taylor is the perfect example.
As a Deputy Clerk for the Treasurer Payroll in Valparaiso’s Clerk-Treasurer office and as a lifelong resident of Northwest Indiana, Taylor has found a love for the city in both her personal and professional life.
“It’s such a neat place!” Taylor said of Valparaiso. “Valpo has a great community.”
As a mother, Taylor values the Region for the opportunities it presents to families. Taylor shares her love of the unique and welcoming atmosphere of Valparaiso with her 14-year-old daughter and nearly 7-year-old son.
“My kids love Valparaiso,” Taylor said. “My daughter is a freshman, and the biggest thing for her is having the downtown community, and my little guy loves the school here.”
Through quality time spent with her family in the Valparaiso community, Taylor has developed a love for the downtown Valparaiso atmosphere.
“It’s nice to have a place where we can take them to dinner and then enjoy downtown afterward,” Taylor said. “We can go get ice cream or we can go to the parks to hang out. I feel safe here, and the people are very nice. There is so much for us to do as a family here.”
Taylor’s love for the Region began early in her life. Having grown up in Portage and after receiving a degree in Liberal Studies from Purdue University North Central, Taylor developed a personal connection to the Region that fuels her work at City Hall.
Today, as both a member of the City Hall and as a resident of the Region, Taylor appreciates how accessible the departments are to the citizens of Valparaiso.
“People have access to every department at the City Hall,” Taylor said. “People can go there, talk to someone, and find ways to work out an issue. It’s easy to get in touch with the people there to talk to someone about the community.”
Since becoming a Deputy Clerk at City Hall, Taylor has cultivated a great passion for the Clerk-Treasurer office.
“I love it,” Taylor said of her job. “It is absolutely my favorite position I’ve ever held, and I know this will be my career because I’m not going anywhere. I love the people I work with, especially those in my office. We work so well together as a team.”
Taylor acknowledges the outstanding contributions and passion for the community of each employee of the Clerk-Treasurer office, and she wants the people of Valparaiso to know that each of their doors are always open.
“People need to know that there is such a great team working at the city,” Taylor said. “It’s a good group of people. It’s so easily accessible to call, to make an appointment, and to talk to somebody. They are such a good team, and they are so easy to deal with.”
Taylor has plans to run for the position of Clerk-Treasurer under the suggestion of the current Clerk-Treasurer of 36 years, Sharon Swihart. With the support of her family, friends, and colleagues, Taylor looks forward to her future at City Hall.
“This is going to be our next big journey,” Taylor said. “I’m very excited about it.”
Taylor understands and appreciates the vital role that the Clerk-Treasurer office plays in Valparaiso, and she strives to make a positive contribution to her team.
“We’re kind of the central hub of the city,” Taylor said. “In a way, everything comes through us one way or another.”
Taylor attributes her strong work ethic to the values that her parents demonstrated in her childhood. Taylor sees her parents’ commitment to hard work mirrored in her own work and in the work of her brother and sister, who work long hours for Metra and as a service manager at a La Porte dealership, respectively.
“My parents instilled a very hearty work ethic in us that has stuck with us,” Taylor said. “They’re a huge part of how I got to where I am today.”
Alongside her husband’s busy work schedule at the jail for 17 years and while raising two children, Taylor balances her professional life and personal life by making time to slow down and enjoy the little things. In her downtime, Taylor enjoys baking cupcakes for special occasions.
“If you ask anyone about my hobbies, the first thing they’re going to say is that I do cupcakes,” Taylor said. “It’s my stress reliever. I can come in the kitchen and do what I need to do, and it melts everything else away. I love to bake! My mom was a wonderful cook and baker, and I got that from her.”
She looks forward to the exciting changes ahead as she makes plans to run for Clerk-Treasurer. Taylor is sure to value where she is right now in her career, her family, and her community. She finds her role as Deputy Clerk to consistently challenge her to cultivate new skills as she works to better the community.
“It’s interesting to me,” Taylor said of her work at the Clerk-Treasurer office. “I am always learning something new. To me, that’s exciting because you’re not stuck in the same thing. I think learning new stuff as you do your job is really an exciting thing, as it keeps you on your toes.”
Holly Taylor appreciates the learning experiences that her work as Deputy Clerk has presented her and is eager to continue to learn and grow with City Hall.