Debra Seaman is VP/CFO of Seaman Engineering Corp. She has also worked in active ministry, in various roles, for over 30 years serving the sick and suffering. She continues to further her education, holding many different certifications in all areas of life experiences ad pursuing a degree in theology.

What’s one of your favorite things about Working or Living in Auburn?

Auburn is where I lived since infancy until age 23.  Moved out of town to Danbury CT for 4 years, and then came right back and have been ever since.  Auburn is my home.  It is where I went to school, found my love and husband (the boy next door, who happened to be the paperboy) to working and raising a family.  One of my many favorite joys about Auburn is community, the people are good, real, kind.  Our school system, the police and fire departments, even the town offices/reps, are wonderful to work with.  Our business had been in Auburn for over 20 years.  In 2017, our buildings were sold to Diamond, and we moved our company to Millbury.  It was hard to leave Auburn, but had no choice, as the business rental properties were out of sight.  We were very fortunate to find a place and Millbury welcomed us into there community.  

We work hard at making sure we serve both communities, as they each have become important in our professional life as in our personal life.   

What is something that people would be surprised to learn about you?

I was a candlepin bowler through my school years.  I was on a league and would travel to bowling tournaments winning many events.  In my attic I have many first and 2nd place trophies.  My candlepin bowling average was 104.  I was honored at a reception at the Chateau De Ville, back in the day for winning a tournament among all those in the state of MA.  Do you remember the candlepin for cash show?  Well, I was nominated for it but I was too young to actually be selected as I was under the age to 18.  It’s been a longtime since I thought about this phase of my life.  I really love to go candlepin bowling, but my family doesn’t like to go with me because I can’t go for fun.  It instantly becomes a competition (mostly with myself), and I get very frustrated with my results today.

Do you have a favorite Quote or Motto you live by?

I have my first coffee meeting every day with myself.  I take 15 mins a day every morning, to read something uplifting, to pray and to give my day, works, actions, thoughts, and all the people I may meet in the day, to God.  

This gives me the strength to go into the day trying to “serve others the way I want to be served.”  It’s hard to do, and somedays I fail, but I never give up on myself. At the end of the day, I evaluate myself, I call it my examination of conscience.  I recognized what I could do better and try to do it the next day. 

There was an amazing priest in my life, Fr. DiOrio, that would say all time to everyone he meets, including me;

“You are important, you are not a nobody, YOU ARE SOMEONE!”  I think we need to remind ourselves of that, as the world tries to tell us differently.