Key West The Newspaper

In 1986, Teresa (Albury) Aguiar graduated from Key West High School and within months had landed a full-time job as a secretary and personnel clerk for Monroe County Board of County Commissioners.

Unlike most 18-year-olds, she said she chose her first job out of high school with her long-term future in mind. “I liked the whole thing about retiring after 30 years with a retirement package,” she said.

On Sept. 30 – 30 years and 50 days since her first day of work at the County – she retired.

“Everybody is going to miss Teresa,” said Pam Pumar, Monroe County’s Human Services Administrator. “Several of us have worked together in the department for 20 or more years.”

Aguiar began at the County with a $6-per-hour, entry-level job of typing, filing, answering phones, sorting mail and ordering supplies. She climbed the ladder to senior management as the Director of Employee Services, a position she has held for the past 11 years. She supervises 11 people and oversees four departments (Human Resources, Workers’ Compensation, Employee Benefits and Safety Office) for a workplace of more than 500 employees.

It was not exactly a career path she chose. For that first County job, she originally applied for a file clerk’s position with the County Attorney. But while filling out that application, she was asked if she’d be interested in this other job with Human Resources.

“They were looking for someone with computer experience, and in high school I had taken computer programming with dummy terminals,” Aguiar said. “They were having a hard time filling the position because the pay was so low.”

A lot has changed in Human Resources/Employee Services in the past 30 years. “Back then, we didn’t have I-9 forms (that verify immigration status) or drug free workplaces,” she said. “Back then, we could also have Christmas parties with champagne.”
Aguiar is proud she helped to get a No Tobacco policy in place. She also was happy to be able to learn and give back while serving on several boards and councils, including the Human Resources Florida State Council, the Florida Keys Society for Human Resource Management and Key West Toastmasters. But, she said she will not miss dealing with health insurance every year.

Pumar said of Aguiar’s departure: “It will be 30 years of knowledge leaving the County. She knows her stuff. You can ask her just about anything and she can tell you. She has a memory like an elephant.”

Pumar also said Halloween won’t be the same without her. Aguiar was the ringleader for decorating the offices for the spooky holiday and getting everyone in the department, and beyond, to dress up. Sometimes they followed the Fantasy Fest theme. Other times they came up with their own ideas. They’ve been Super Heroes, gypsies, Disney characters and Dancing Hos.

“She’d have us start planning in June or July,” Pumar said.

At 48, Aguiar said she is not sure what is next, but it will include reading books recommended by friends and perhaps dabbling again in photography. “A long time ago I owned a little mobile photography business, before everything went digital,” Aguiar said. Her specialty was children and family portraiture.

She said she has no plans to leave Key West. She is a third-generation Conch. Her 22-year-old daughter lives in Pennsylvania and her 19-year-old son lives at home. “He’ll keep me company while I decide what’s next,” she said.

Her replacement has not yet been chosen.