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04/14/2020 12:00 AMEssex Finance Director Kelly Sterner was named finance director for the public schools in Chester, Deep River, Essex, and Region 4 on April 3. Her appointment will start on July 1, allowing her to close out the fiscal year in her current position. Sterner will replace interim business manager Richard Huot, who was hired last November after the resignation of former business manager Kimberly Allen.
“I am very excited to have Ms. Sterner join our team at central office,” said Superintendent of Schools Brian White in email with the Courier. “I believe that her many strengths make her the right person at the right time for our business office.”
Sterner earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York, graduating magna cum laude with a concentration in finance. As Essex’s finance director for the past 16 years, Sterner managed the annual audit, oversaw payroll and accounts payable, supported development of the annual operating and capital improvement budgets, and provided financial oversight on numerous grant projects. She also worked with town boards and commissions including the Essex Board of Education and the Region 4 Supervision District.
“My work for the Town of Essex and its relationship with the Region 4 school district provides me a strong start in this new position,” said Sterner in email with the Courier. “I have professional interaction with a significant number of the staff and board members already and anticipate building those [relationships] and creating new ones.”
White said Sterner will easily transition to her new position, with her solid background in finance and institutional knowledge of the school system.
In terms of priorities, “Ms. Sterner will play a critical role in building upon the many improvements we have instituted this year in our business office to re-establish the credibility of our business office with all stakeholders, improve internal accounting procedures, and promote best practices, such as new monthly reporting procedures, to support increased public transparency,” said White.
In addition to her bachelor’s degree, Sterner received training from the Government Finance Officers Association on best practices in budgeting, governmental accounting and preparing a Comprehensive Annual Financial Report.
“I am confident that Ms. Sterner will bring new ways of thinking about our business operations, identify opportunities for efficiency, and will positively lead our business office into its next chapter,” said White.
Prior to her position with the Town of Essex, Sterner worked in a variety of capacities including as staff accountant for Infiltrator Systems, Inc., in Old Saybrook. In this role, she was responsible for accounts payable, accounts receivable and bank reconciliations. She was also a corporate administrator and staff accountant for Privateer, LTD in Deep River.
Although she’s ready to take on the challenge of a new position, Sterner admits that leaving the town of Essex will not be easy.
“I’ve enjoyed it so much,” said Sterner. “The people here are really great. Norman [Needleman, Essex first selectman] has built a really great team. Because of that team approach, we serve the public better. Leaving that is going to be really, really hard.”
Sterner will be involved in the search process for a new finance director for the Town of Essex.
She says that with her start date being at the end of the fiscal year, there will be ample time to share knowledge and intends to act as a resource indefinitely.
“Hopefully we’ll have a selection of fabulous candidates and have overlap time [for] training,” said Sterner. “I will be so close by.