Pam Pariani: Many different paths – all the right ones!
Pam Pariani
Many different paths – all the right ones!
You are originally from Portland?
I was born in Northeast Portland and went to Catholic grade school and high school near my home. After graduating in 1968 I thought it was maybe time to broaden my horizons so I made the decision to go to college in San Francisco.
That was quite the shift – Portland to San Francisco in 1968.
Indeed. It was a quite a shift. Portland was pretty sleepy back then and San Francisco definitely was not. I went to the University of San Francisco and majored in Political Science. One of the main reasons that my parents agreed to letting me go to San Francisco was the fact that USF was a Jesuit university. I arrived at the emergence of the antiwar movement; the Black Panthers had just formed locally; the hippie movement was in full swing and there were constant demonstrations for all kinds of causes. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in April of that year, and Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June. All these occurrences happening so close together was very powerful and unsettling.
You made the decision to stay in San Francisco after graduation.
It was an easy decision. San Francisco was a vibrant city in 1972. In my junior year, I moved into my first apartment in Haight-Ashbury, which if I recall, my mother called a fire trap!
It was just after college that you began working in the banking industry.
I worked in the financial district of San Francisco for the next 14 years. First, for Wells Fargo, where I was on the operations side managing customer service for their credit card portfolio. Then, I worked for Bank of California managing its credit card business and running its West Coast check processing operations centers.
It was a dynamic time, especially for women in the financial sector. There was a great emphasis towards getting women into banking, and banks were investing significant money in their management trainees. I feel very fortunate to have had good mentors. These were very formative years for me. A very positive experience. I made some strong friendships which have continued to this day.
You then changed careers and went into corporate software.
In the late 80’s I began working for a national software company whose clients were banks. I was able to bring my banker’s perspective to this new job. The company’s software was developed for bank mainframes and the concept at that time was facilities management, where we not only provided the software, but also provided a service to run their whole data center. I was an account manager in California for two different smaller banks, both in Los Angeles. In the early 90’s while at that same company, I transferred from Los Angeles to the corporate office in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Los Angeles to Arkansas?
I know. I lived there for about five years. It was another very positive experience for me. The corporation itself was sound, solid and innovative, with an amazing senior management team. I benefited tremendously in my professional growth. Arkansas is a beautiful state with all kinds of outdoor things to do. I made great friends there and because the cost of living was so much less I actually was able to sock away a good amount of savings.
From Arkansas to Arizona?
In the mid 90’s, I moved to Arizona – again for a software company. I managed their national professional services and consulting units. This moment in my career was very interesting. It was 2000 and the company was bought by a large British company. At that time, I was ready for a change from the financial and corporate software world. The new company bought my stock options. So, now, with both the motivation and the means, I decided to go to law school.
Attending Lewis & Clark Law School at 51 years old. That was a bold move.
I loved law school – surrounded by smart young people, great professors. It was very challenging but I sure had a sense of accomplishment when I finished. Again, I made some wonderful friends – this time all younger than me.
Did you enter law school knowing what type of law you wanted to practice?
I was realistic that in certain fields of the law, my age would not play well. After taking some estate and tax classes, I became very interested in estate planning. I had strong business and consultative skills. Combining this prior experience with my law degree, I segued into having my own estate planning practice.
Can you talk more about your estate planning practice?
It was a solo practice. My office was in King City in the Tigard area. Most of my clients were seniors as my office was located between two senior living communities. I also had a group of clients who were young parents starting their families and wanting to make sure they were planning correctly for their children. It was a nice contrast.
What is the focus of estate planning?
Primarily wills, living trusts, powers of attorney and probate.
Did you enjoy working on estate planning?
I did. Very much. I called it the helping side of the law. When I would finish up with a client, and the papers were signed, you could see this sense of relief come over them. It was a very positive experience. The only time issues might surface would be after a client passed away. Not often, but sometimes with adult children, money and death are not always a good combination.
What prompted your decision to retire?
As a solo attorney, it is very challenging to retire if you don’t have someone lined up to assume the practice. As I was approaching what I felt was the right age to retire, an opportunity presented itself. A friend of mine wanted to shift from being a law professor to her own practice. I had tremendous respect for her as a lawyer. We talked and negotiated a beautiful transition. The timing of this opportunity probably accelerated my retirement plan by a couple of years, but it was the right thing to do. I retired in 2016.
After having a career for more than four decades, was retirement difficult?
It’s been fabulous. I do think it is true that transitioning to retirement can be tough unless you are already engaged in activities and programs during your work years. For years I have been involved in a small foundation here in Portland as a volunteer and foundation board member. I am also part of an outrigger canoe paddling team. And I couldn’t wait to start taking classes as a senior auditor down at PSU. To me, retirement meant that I could do more of the good stuff that I had been doing prior to retirement.
Can you talk more about outrigger canoeing?
I am a member of the Pacific Outrigger Canoe Club. The canoes we use are the traditional Hawaiian, six-person canoe, 40-feet long and 400 pounds. I have been doing this now for more than a decade. It’s a great form of exercise. Its primarily recreational, although there are a few of us that enjoy being competitive and we enter a few races a year.
One of my favorite experiences was in 2016 when a fellow paddler and I teamed up with four Southern California paddlers and competed in the women’s section of the Queen Lili’uokalani Canoe Race. This is the largest outrigger canoe race in the world, covering 18-miles down the Kona coast of Hawaii between Kailua – Kona to Honaunau. We worked hard to be physically ready. The course took almost three hours to complete. It was memorable.
Where does your club practice?
We are just south of the Sauvie Island Bridge. It’s a great location and offers unique points of water access. From our dock we can head out south towards the St Johns Bridge or further into Portland. Or we can head north to the Columbia River. Or, down the Multnomah Channel towards Scappoose Bay. Wildlife is everywhere. Bald eagles, beavers, sea lions – even the osprey are coming back. Now that we are coming into the racing season and better weather we will practice four times a week, typically for an hour and a half to two hours.
Can you also talk about your volunteer work?
For many years, I have been involved with The Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp as both a volunteer and donor. It’s located between Rhododendron and Government Camp and is a nonprofit camp for kids and young adults with developmental disabilities. I also serve on their foundation board.
Also, every Thursday, with a friend, I have a volunteer commitment with the Neighborhood House Food Pantry. In the morning, we drive to the Whole Foods on Scholls Ferry, pick up their bins of donated food and take those to the food pantry in Multnomah Village. I’ve been really impressed with all the volunteers and staff there.
Traveling is important to you, as well.
Most of my travels have a focus on wildlife and natural history. Last year I went to Uganda. The highlight was the mountain gorillas. In Uganda there is a particular national park in which there are 20 or so gorilla clans. To get to them, you hike. Some are easy hikes; others are long and arduous. We did both. Once you get to the clan, you have one hour with them. Mostly, you’re standing, moving, and paying attention to the gorillas moving about. They seemed very disinterested in us. It was a very powerful experience.
I didn’t travel this year. With the upcoming move to Parkview I just felt that I need to focus on de-cluttering, getting my house on the market and deal with the big move that it is. I live in a very sweet house with a nice garden, but I am ready to be done with it.
What prompted your decision to secure an apartment home in Parkview?
Through my practice I became familiar with the concept of Continuing Care Retirement Communities. Because I don’t have children, I knew it was important to establish a good structure and setting for myself. The Terwilliger Plaza model was appealing, as was the new construction and the location being so close to Portland State University and the Schnitzer Concert Hall. All these factors are important.
At first I thought I was too young for a move like this. However, once I began going to the Wellness Center and the monthly socials I got past the age thing. I have met people who have had incredible lives and are fascinating. I contrast my decision moving into Parkview with buying a condo instead. There, it felt as though I might be isolated and aging, alone. It didn’t feel right.
You mentioned the senior auditor classes at Portland State University. Can you explain?
It is the Senior Adult Learning Center, the umbrella under which you participate. It’s a one-time $25 fee. If there is a class that you want to sign up for, you email the professor to ask permission. It’s based on space availability. First priority is always the enrolled students from PSU. What’s important to remember though, is that you are auditing the class – typically this means that you’re not necessarily engaging in the student’s discussions or raising your hand to ask or answer questions. An added benefit to auditing a class, however, is that there are no exams or papers required!
I migrate towards history, political science, economics, and international studies. This spring I am signing up for a U.S. national security strategies class. When I move into Parkview, I will be able to walk to my classes.
Such an interesting journey you’ve had with opportunities to engage your intellect and curiosity.
Many different paths, all the right ones, and then coming back to Portland. I have come full circle.