So You Want to be a School Treasurer 2021-2022

Jim Rowan is the Executive Director of the Ohio Association of School Business Officials. He has spent the past five years as OASBO’s Executive Director providing support and services to school business officials throughout Ohio. A long-time OASBO member, Jim served as the association's President during the 2002-03 membership year, and as ASBO International President in 2007.

Kim Laugherty, a Certified Association Executive, is OASBO’s COO and has served the association since 2005. She works collaboratively with senior staff, administrative staff, the board of directors, and volunteer leaders to drive initiatives to support the organization’s mission and strategic goals.

As COO, Kim directs the association’s learning programs and annual conferences; the mentoring program for new SBOs; and membership recruitment and retention. She also oversees IT, manages software implementations and special initiatives; and provides support for corporate partners and sponsors.

 She has a B.A. in English from Bowling Green State University, graduating cum laude. Her career prior to association management was in information technology training and consulting sales, and marketing. 

Chris has over 38 years of proven successful governmental finance and management experience and is a licensed school treasurer, business manager, and holds an Ohio Health, Life and Variable Annuity license. He began his career at the Ohio Auditor of State's Office as an examiner and field audit supervisor leaving that position to become Treasurer/CFO and Executive Director of Business Affairs of public school system in 1984. He has served district from $30 million to $200 million in budget and has managed both CFO and Director of Business Affairs simultaneously in Dublin and Springfield CSD. Chris has received many awards during his career including Ohio School Treasurer of the Year, Ohio School Business Manager of the Year and the Virginia Ramsay Award for Distinguished Service to the profession. He brings considerable expertise to school clients in five year forecast assistance in areas of modeling, projecting and presentation; levy analysis; school comparison studies; efficiency reviews; budget preparation and monthly financial report preparation; superintendent and treasurer executive recruiting; mentoring for school business officials, and strategic planning.

Chris earned a MBA majoring in finance and administration, along with a BS in accounting from Miami University of Ohio, and an AS in business administration from Edison State College. He also holds a designation of Registered School Business Administrator and holds the Ohio Financial Accountability Certificate issued by the auditor of state's office. 

Becky started her career as the assistant treasurer for her Alma Mater, Martins Ferry City Schools. After 12 years, she accepted the treasurer/CFO position for the Wellsville Local School District. Her love of the Central Ohio area found her accepting the assistant treasurer position at the fastest growing school district in the state of Ohio - Olentangy Local Schools. After a year and a half she was promoted to the Treasurer/CFO role. The district grew over twice its size to over 16,000 students under her financial leadership. After nine years with Olentangy Schools, she was recruited by the New Albany-Plain Local Schools and has been with this district for ten+ years. Becky has had the fortune of leading districts considered both wealthy and poor which gives her a unique perspective on the various challenges diverse districts face.

During these career transitions, Becky also helped lead OASBO. She held the offices of Board Southeast Region Director, Vice-President, President Elect, President and Immediate Past President. Through the years she has served on numerous committees and continues to serve on the Legislative Committee as well as many focus committees. Becky is also asked to speak on a variety of topics not only for OASBO seminars but other state organizations as well. 

Jenni Logan is the Treasurer/CFO of Sycamore Community City Schools. Prior to this, she was the treasurer/CFO at District Lakota Local School District January 2011 to August 2022.  Before that she was a Director in the Public Finance Department of Robert W. Baird & Co.  Ms. Logan has over 20 years of experience serving school districts in Ohio, which include an ESC, JVSD, CSD, LSD and an EVSD.  She has been involved with several state committees for OASBO and served the organization as its state president in 2005-06.    

Dolores, an OASBO past president, had a successful career as an Ohio school district treasurer/CFO for over 30 years in various districts around the state. Upon retirement, she worked as a Fiscal Support Manager for an Information Technology Center. In addition, she spent five years as the Professional Development Curriculum Writer and manager of OASBO’s Mentoring program for new SBOs.

Prior to joining K-12 Business Consulting in 2019, where she performs treasurer searches for school districts, she spent 4 years as an end-user tester for the State Software Redesign project.

Cynthia Ritter is a School Business Consultant with K-12 Business Consulting, Inc. and Grant Consultant to Envision Ed Plus. Cynthia has served as a consultant to Ohio Department of Education with the Academic Distress Commissions and Education Reform. She has over 32 years of successful leadership and management experience as treasurer/CFO for several school districts.

She has been a member of the Education Standards Board Ohio Department of Education, OASBO Board President, served on the Auditor of State Regional Advisory Committee, Board member and treasurer of the Pickaway County Employees Benefit Program, speaker and presenter at numerous OSBA, BASA, OASBO and ASBO seminars.

She has received many awards and recognitions including the Rich Unger Professionalism Award, Distinguished Service Award and was a Herb Brum Scholarship recipient.

Ryan Pendleton is the Executive Director of the North Coast Shared Services Alliance where he coordinates financial and operations support for northeast Ohio school districts through the Educational Service Centers of Northeast Ohio, Medina, and Lorain Counties.

Ryan is very active in state and federal issues concerning education and the potential impact on the students of Ohio. He is a member of the Fair School Funding Work Group, co-chairing both the Base Cost and Analysis and Support Groups.  As an inaugural member of the Work Group, Ryan made significant contributions to creating and advocating for Ohio’s new state funding formula.  His efforts contributed to the Fair School Funding Formula being included in the 2022-2023 Biennium Budget.

Ryan is a Leadership Akron Class 32 graduate and dedicated to serving the community, in particular the students across Ohio. Prior to working at North Coast Shared Service Alliance, Ryan was the CFO/Treasurer of Akron Public and Barberton City Schools and worked previously as a financial advisor.  

Ryan earned a BA in Business Administration from Malone College and an MBA from Cleveland State University.  

Wilson has been the Director of Business Development for the Educational Service Center of the Western Reserve since May, 2021.  Mr. Wilson has more than forty-nine years’ experience in the fiscal management of Ohio Public Schools.

He previously served as the Chief Financial Officer for the Board of Education of the Mentor Exempted Village School District

Wilson also held the position of Associate Superintendent for the Center for School Finance and Accountability at the Ohio Department of Education, Chief Financial Officer and Budget Director for the Parma City School District Board of Education, Board of Education Treasurer for the Shaker Heights City Schools in Cuyahoga County, and the Canton City Schools in Stark County.  Additionally, he served as Treasurer of the Stark County Board of Education in Louisville, Ohio and as Treasurer for the Woodridge Local Schools in Summit County.  He has also held the post of Treasurer for the South-Western City Board of Education in Franklin County.  Wilson also served as a shared treasurer with the Kirtland Local School District from 2015 until July 2018 and as a shared Treasurer with the Newbury Local School District from 2019 until July 2020. 

Wilson is on the Board of Directors of the Applewood Centers and a member of the Board of Trustees for the Ohio School Employees Retirement System.  He is the Past-President of the Ohio Association of School Business Officials, the Past Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Foundation for School Business Management, past Board of Director for the Health Action Council of Northeast Ohio, and formerly a member of the Educational Tax Policy Institute Advisory Committee.  He has also served as the Ohio PTA School Finance Consultant and a board trustee of the Lake County United Way.