Arrival of New Director of Finance and Operations Brings New Structure to HF-L Business Office

The Honeoye Falls – Lima School District is pleased to announce that Mr. Edward Johnson has been appointed as the next Director of Finance and Operations for the District.  Mr. Johnson has a successful track record of achievement leading financial and administrative operations for both public and private colleges and universities.  He will join the HF-L staff on April 28, 2008, and replaces Mr. Kevin Hamilton, who has moved on to become the Vice-President of Finance and Operations at Genesee Community College. 

Mr. Johnson has been the Associate Vice-President for Administration and Controller for the State University of New York (SUNY) Geneseo since 2005.  In this position, he was responsible for the development, implementation and interpretation of business and fiscal policies and procedures to ensure effective internal controls and fiscal integrity.  He reorganized SUNY Geneseo’s internal control process to be in compliance with State and SUNY requirements.  This is now recognized as a best practice in SUNY.  Mr. Johnson centralized and reconfigured duplication services, and implemented an electronic billing system that resulted in a significant savings to the College.  He also implemented a successful risk management program and was a featured speaker at the 2007 NYS Internal Control Association’s annual conference.

Prior to his time at SUNY Geneseo, Mr. Johnson worked as the Chief Financial Officer in the Division of Athletics at the University of Buffalo for 11 years.  There, he was responsible for total financial and business operations as well as capital project management.  Within his first years at UB, he converted a $1 million operating budget deficit to annual surpluses.

Before his time at SUNY Buffalo, Mr. Johnson worked at Medaille College in Buffalo for ten years as the College’s Controller, and for eight years at Lucker, Kennedy and Felmeden CPAs as a Manager.  Mr. Johnson graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting from Niagara University and received a Masters degree in Business Administration from St. Bonaventure University.  He is also licensed by New York State as a Certified Public Accountant.

“HF-L is recognized as one of the finest school districts in New York State,” Johnson said.  “I am looking forward to joining a team that is clearly committed to excellence and takes great pride in outstanding results for the students they serve.”

“HF-L will greatly benefit from Mr. Johnson’s strong expertise in fiscal efficiency, internal controls, risk management and alignment of the budget with the strategic plan,” said Dr. Michelle Kavanaugh, Superintendent of HF-L Schools.

In anticipation of Mr. Johnson’s arrival, the District’s Business Office has been restructured through technology and staffing changes to improve efficiency in current practices and to better address internal controls.  A new software system has been initiated this year to ensure more efficient electronic recording of leave accrual and absences for all staff.  The Business Office is currently transferring data from an old financial management software system in place since the mid 1990s to one designed to more efficiently meet current internal control procedures for schools.  Benefits management has been re-organized into a single clerical position. 

In addition to these changes in the Business Office, the Board of Education has restructured its role in the auditing function.  Previously, the Board served as a committee of the whole in addressing auditing.  This year, an Audit Committee, consisting of four Board of Education members, has been meeting regularly to closely review internal and external audit reports, internal controls and district financial reports. Also, a part-time claims auditor, Pat Floeser, has been hired as an employee reporting directly to the Board, to monitor purchasing procedures and other internal controls in the Business Office.

A Risk Assessment completed in May 2007 cited 38 recommendations, five of which qualified as “High Risk.”  A second assessment, completed January 2008 showed that full corrective action was taken on 22 of 38 items, with partial corrective action on another 10 items. The most recent Risk Assessment report was issued for Board of Education approval on April 8, 2008.  Twenty-seven items were cited, 12 of which have already been addressed through the Business Office restructuring.

Mr. Edward Johnson has been named our new Director of Finance and Operations.