Amy Pagano, Senior Director of HR at Canon Financial Services, is a dedicated HR leader with a passion for cultivating positive and inclusive work environments. Her 25-plus year career, beginning as an HR Administrator, demonstrates a consistent commitment to professional growth and a focus on building strong, people-centric cultures.
With over 15 years with her first organization, Pagano steadily advanced, eventually becoming a Senior HR Manager responsible for multiple business units. In this role, she honed her skills in navigating complex challenges and fostering positive employee relations. This experience laid the foundation for her transition to Canon Financial Services.
Joining Canon as a Senior HR Manager, Pagano quickly distinguished herself as a trusted leader, driving initiatives that supported both employee development and organizational success. Her contributions led to a well-deserved promotion to Senior HR Director.
Today, Pagano’s influence at Canon extends across multiple departments. In addition to Human Resources, she also oversees Corporate Communications, Training & Development, and Quality Monitoring, demonstrating her diverse skill set and strategic vision. She also champions inclusivity as chair of the Women in Leadership Levels (WiLL) business resource group. Building strong cultures, developing effective teams, and prioritizing professional development have been central to her success.
“Joining Canon Financial Services was one of the best decisions of my career,” she shared with HR Daily Advisor. “Here, I’ve truly found my professional home, feeling deeply connected to the company, its vision, mission, and exceptional employees.”
In our latest Faces, meet Amy Pagano.
Who is/was your biggest influence in the industry?
Two remarkable individuals have influenced my career. First, my boss at my first company was an exceptional mentor. I came in with minimal HR experience, and she taught me a great deal while offering opportunities for growth. She encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and build my confidence as an HR professional, laying the foundation for my development.
Second, my current boss, Dominic Janney, President of our company, has been a significant influence. His leadership style is inspiring—he brings energy, knowledge, and a sense of fun while challenging me to be my best. His ability to motivate others drives me to embrace every challenge with enthusiasm. Both leaders have shaped my career by modeling mentorship, passion, and a relentless drive for excellence.
What’s your best mistake and what did you learn from it?
My best mistake happened early in my career when I failed to delegate effectively while managing a team. I took on too much myself, believing I could handle everything and wanting to ensure perfection. As a result, I became overwhelmed, and the quality of my work and my team’s morale suffered.
This taught me the importance of trust and collaboration. I realized that delegating tasks not only empowers others but also fosters a more productive and supportive team environment. By recognizing my team members’ strengths and allowing them to take ownership, we improved both efficiency and quality. This experience taught me to embrace delegation as a key leadership skill and to trust those around me to contribute to our success.
Since then, I’ve embraced delegation as a key leadership skill and have become much more comfortable with sharing responsibilities. This mistake made me a better leader, as I now know that success comes from working together and trusting those around me.
What’s your favorite part about working in the industry? What’s your least favorite part, and how would you change it? Or overcome it?
My favorite part of working in HR is the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on both the company and its employees. I enjoy contributing to decisions that move the company forward, whether through shaping policies, driving talent initiatives, or aligning people strategies with organizational goals. At the same time, I’m passionate about supporting employees’ growth, helping them reach their goals, and contributing to a thriving company culture.
My least favorite part of HR is navigating complex situations that require balancing the needs of the organization with those of its people. To address this, I take a thoughtful and strategic approach, prioritizing clear communication, active listening, and fairness to ensure the best possible outcomes. By staying focused on fostering a positive culture and aligning decisions with our core values, I’m able to turn challenges into opportunities for growth and continuous improvement for both the team and the organization.
It sounds like through your experience you really care about people, and you want to help them feel safe and comfortable, which is important in the industry. Please elaborate here.
People have always been my priority. I am committed to supporting their best interests while also ensuring the company’s goals are met. I believe that when employees feel valued and supported, they can contribute to the organization’s success.
For example, during the pandemic, we had to make sure employees felt safe, supported, and informed during such an uncertain time. With my leadership and HR team, we maintained open communication, providing updates on changing policies, health and safety guidelines, and available resources.
We were compassionate and patient, understanding that employees were dealing with not only work changes but personal challenges. By listening to our employees, fostering transparency, and staying attuned to their concerns, we navigated the challenges together. It reinforced that HR is about more than policies—it’s about being there for people when they need it the most and creating an environment where they feel safe, supported, and valued.
How can HR most effectively demonstrate its value to the leadership team?
Over the years, I’ve seen HR’s role evolve from being seen as administrative support to a strategic partner driving business outcome. HR demonstrates its value by aligning people strategies with business objectives and showing how talent initiatives directly impact performance. By using data-driven insights that link employee engagement, retention, and productivity to business success, HR proves its impact. Additionally, HR adds value by proactively guiding change and ensuring the company has the right talent to meet its strategic goals. Ultimately, HR supports leadership’s vision and the company’s long-term success.
Where do you see the industry heading in five years? Or are you seeing any current trends?
HR’s role will continue to evolve, with greater emphasis on employee experience and organizational culture. Employee well-being will remain a priority as companies create environments where employees can thrive. Diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts will also continue to take center stage, with a focus on meaningful, lasting progress.
Technology and people analytics will play a growing role, allowing HR to meet workforce needs more efficiently and strategically. By combining these tools with a human-centered approach, HR will continue to drive leadership, professional growth, and engaged teams that contribute to business success.
What are you most proud of?
I’m most proud of being part of an incredible leadership team that works collaboratively to drive our company’s success. We share ideas, support one another, and collectively strive to create a positive and thriving organization. I am also proud to lead a team of individuals whose dedication and hard work help me achieve our goals every day.
As mentioned earlier, a true highlight of my career has been seeing our company recognized in Monitor magazine’s ‘Best Companies’ edition for Culture. This recognition reflects the efforts of our leadership team, my colleagues, and, most importantly, our employees. Their dedication and engagement are the foundation of our success, and it’s incredibly fulfilling to know that we’ve built and sustained such a strong, positive culture together.
Do you have any advice for people entering the profession?
My advice to those entering HR is that it requires a unique combination of empathy, resilience, and strategic thinking. HR can be challenging at times, but the rewards are immense. Stay curious, continue learning, and be open to adapting to the changing needs of the workforce. Above all, never lose sight of the people we serve—employees are the heart of any organization. Stay committed to creating environments where they can thrive, and the company will thrive with them.