District 300 School Board OKs New CFO

The District 300 Board of Education approved Susan Harkin this week as the district's new Chief Financial Officer.

She replaces Cheryl Crates, who is retiring on June 30 after nearly eight years as D300 CFO.  Harkin will begin her employment with D300 this summer, though her effective start date is currently being determined.

A three-round selection process produced Harkin as the ideal choice for the district.  Roughly two dozen persons applied for the position this spring. 

They were eventually narrowed to a field of three candidates, who each faced an in-depth interview with a team of Central Office administrative leaders and support staff before going on to a final interview with Superintendent Michael Bregy and Associate Superintendent Sarah Kedroski.

Harkin earned both her bachelor's degree in accounting and her master's degree in school administration from Northern Illinois University.  She has experience in maintaining a balanced budget, collective bargaining, upgrading infrastructure, long-rang capital improvement planning, managing payroll, developing financial projections, and overseeing operations, technology, food service, and transportation. 

She is currently the CFO for Crystal Lake Elementary District 47, a position she has held since 2009.  Her previous employment included three years as the Associate Superintendent of Community Consolidated School District 62 in Des Plaines, as well as serving as the Business Office Manager here in D300 from 2000 to 2006.   

Her prior work experience in the D300 Business Office will hasten her ability to successfully take the helm as CFO, as will her being a long-time resident of West Dundee in D300.  Harkin has six children who attended and graduated from D300 schools, and she was an involved volunteer in D300 schools for many years.

But it was not only her professional and personal familiarity with D300 that set her apart in the selection process. 

Through her role on the Board of Directors for the Illinois Association of School Business Officials (IASBO), Harkin has the contacts to keep D300 well informed of best practices, emerging financial issues, and relevant legislation. 

Superintendent Bregy said that she has also demonstrated the ability and willingness to enhance the D300 Business Office's collaboration and communication with other departments. 

This will be crucial to fulfill Bregy's vision of an operational and budgetary structure that is more directly aligned with the district's teaching and learning goals.

"Susan was chosen not only because of her financial and leadership skills but also her natural ability to build effective relationships and passion to improve the quality education for all students," Bregy said.  "Susan facilitates rather than dominates, and she will be a refreshingly positive part of our new team."

Source: District 300 press release