Cynthia Cuttino was used to life in the fast lane. But after years of working in the private sector, for Cuttino, working in the District 4 headquarters for the SC Highway Patrol was a bit like hitting the brakes.

“The other ladies in the office would tell me, ‘We want you to accomplish your tasks and what we’re giving you, but just slow down,’” Cuttino recalled of her early days in the office.

Originally from Chester, Cuttino previously carried out administrative and clerical work for an employer that required extensive travel time. In 1987, with a desire to work closer to home, she applied for an administrative specialist position with the Highway Patrol’s District 4 headquarters in Rock Hill.

“When I first started, it was typewriters, fax machines, and a lot of handwriting,” Cuttino said laughing.

Technological advances have changed how Cuttino and her coworkers complete their tasks, but one thing has not changed.

“The work atmosphere keeps people here — being told that you’re appreciated and that the work you do is appreciated,” she said. “I’ve made lifelong friendships here. Even after I retire, I’ll still have those friendships.”

Despite learning to slow down in her first years with the Highway Patrol, Cuttino retired in 2018, and life became, well, too slow. This led to her returning to the job she loved.

“It was so short — it wasn’t even a full year,” she said. “I was so thankful to be able to come back.”

She knows, however, that eventually, she will retire for good.

“At some point, it’s going to come where I want to get out there to enjoy life and family,” she said. “In time, I think it’ll come, and I’ll know. But right now, that’s a small thought in my mind.”