Creating Her Own Success

Patricia Serio is the definition of a self-made businesswoman.

In 1973, she and her husband started a plastics tooling business. Later, they got into injection molding and eventually made their own products. Her husband oversaw making the molds, while Pat did just about everything else – from talking to bankers and managing the office to delivering parts and, on occasion, even cleaning the toilets.

When Pat and her husband divorced in 1985, Pat bought him out. She became one of just a few female executives in a male-dominated industry. For Pat, the next few years were stressful, scary, and very exciting.

While she had support from many quarters, Pat recalls that “some men didn’t believe that I could do it. I had to fight some misogynistic tendencies.”

But she knew she was turning a corner when she met a competitor at a trade event who took her hand to congratulate her and said, “Lady, you got balls!”

As Pat forged ahead, she diversified and expanded the business and won numerous awards. By 1995, the corporate offices had grown to four buildings, and she built a second plant in Arizona. She turned the company over to her son a few years ago, but she kept her office and stays involved.

Pat has also been a proud supporter of FINCA since 1990. Her commitment to FINCA is grounded in the self-help element of FINCA’s mission. Pat understands that a “hand up” rather than a “hand-out” gives struggling entrepreneurs the tools they need to create a bright future for themselves and their families using their own ingenuity and hard work.

I realize that the poor do not have many opportunities, but it is counterproductive to create dependence.

To help even more hardworking entrepreneurs get the hand up they need, Pat has graciously included FINCA in her will and estate plans. Through the generous support of donors like Pat, FINCA will continue to provide a helping hand to those in need and strive towards a better future for our clients around the world.

If you are interested in learning more about including FINCA in your will and estate plans, please contact Colleen Zakrewsky at [email protected].