USA Funds Staff Profile: Keeping Everyone Functioning

Karen Backus has worked to support so many different USA Funds^® executives and departments in her nearly three-decade tenure at the company, she’s hard-pressed to list them all.

Those many positions have taken her to a half-dozen office sites and involved stints as file clerk, secretary, administrative assistant and, now, executive assistant.

Fortunately, Backus embraces variety and change.

“There’s always something different,” she says of her career at USA Funds. “I enjoy the opportunity to work with a lot of different people internally and externally.”

For eight years Backus has been the executive assistant to Carl Dalstrom, USA Funds president and CEO. In addition to her primary responsibility of assisting Dalstrom, she also supports Pat Roe, USA Funds special assistant to the president, and the USA Funds finance division.

Backus coordinates travel to events such as conferences and scholarship-fund-raising activities, and visits with schools and lenders. She keeps Dalstrom’s schedule current both on- and off-site, and helps to ensure that those she supports are where they need to be and have the materials they need to do their jobs.

And she often is the first point of contact for those with whom Dalstrom interacts.

“I strive to keep everyone functioning,” Backus says, “but I also maintain good rapport with customers and others who contact Carl. People remember those kinds of things and feel comfortable with calling and with USA Funds when they’re treated well.”

Backus also is committed to the volunteer work that USA Funds encourages. Since 2004 she has been a member of USA Funds’ volunteer committee, which plans company fund-raising activities to benefit other nonprofit organizations. Among the activities she has coordinated are a luncheon benefiting a local food bank and activities with children from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana.

The Indianapolis native also does volunteer work at the school her younger son attends, taking advantage of a USA Funds program that allows each employee 40 hours of paid time off each year to do volunteer work for community nonprofit organizations.

“Our company does so many great things for students and other people,” Backus says, “and when you can help people and know it’s something they enjoy, it’s a satisfying experience.”

Along with her younger son, who is 12, Backus also has a 20-year-old son. When she’s not working, she enjoys spending time with her family and gardening.