District's Next Treasurer: Whitehall Schools CFO Penton

Tim Penton thanks the Board at its Jan. 3 meeting for selecting him as the district's next treasurer.

Although he doesn’t come on board with the Lakewood City Schools until next October, the District’s next treasurer, Timothy J. Penton, is eager to become part of the Lakewood community.

"I am excited to be part of the Lakewood community," said Penton during his introduction by the Lakewood Board of Education at its Jan. 3 meeting. “This is a homecoming of sorts for me,” said Penton, who grew up in Lorain County, has family in Lakewood and plans to live in Lakewood.

At a December 22 meeting, the Board of Education chose Penton, current treasurer of the Whitehall City Schools in Franklin County, as the District’s next treasurer after a thorough and months-long search led by the Ohio School Boards Association.

Penton will replace Richard Berdine, who earlier this year announced his resignation effective December 31, 2012. Penton will begin a transition period as assistant treasurer on October 1, 2012, working alongside Berdine and then assume the treasurer’s position on Jan. 1, 2013.

Penton, who has overseen the Whitehall City Schools budget for the past 12 years, comes to Lakewood with impressive credentials: an over 29-year career in education and 15 years in school finance. He is a 12-time recipient of the Government Finance Officers Association’s Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting and received the State of Ohio Office of the Auditor’s Award with Distinction for excellence in financial reporting 12 times as well.

Penton also has successfully overseen the spending of an $80 million Ohio School Facilities Commission (OSFC) capital improvement project currently under way in Whitehall that includes the replacement of the district’s five school buildings.

At the time of the Board’s announcement of its selection of Penton, then-President Matthew John Markling said: “The Board and Administration are very excited that Timothy J. Penton will be joining our district leadership team. Treasurer Penton’s qualifications are impeccable. All Board members, as well as Superintendent Jeffrey W. Patterson and his Cabinet, are excited about the opportunity to work with Treasurer Penton in collaboration with our outstanding teachers, staff, administrators, parents, students, and community members to ensure that the Lakewood City Schools remains a premier public school system.”

Added Penton: “I very much look forward to working with Superintendent Jeff Patterson and the entire Lakewood City Schools administrative leadership team as we navigate the challenging times ahead for public education. I am committed to the Board’s goal of achieving academic excellence for all children of Lakewood Schools and I take my role as Treasuer/CFO very seriously in providing sound financial management to realize that goal.”

Prior to joining Whitehall Schools, Penton held positions in finance and operations with Madison-Plains Local Schools, Keystone Local Schools, and Amherst Exempted Village Schools. He earned his BSBA degree from Ohio State University and an MBA degree from Capital University. Penton is an active member of the Ohio School Boards Association, the Ohio Association of School Business Officials (OASBO), and the Government Finance Officers Association and is the past president of the Franklin County Treasurer’s Association and the Central Chapter of OASBO. In 2008, Penton was awarded the Central Region OASBO “Distinguished Service Award.”

At the January 3 Board meeting where Penton was introduced, the District’s next treasurer gave a tip of the hat to current treasurer Berdine.

“My expectation to you is to maintain that standard of excellence that has been established in the Treasurer’s Office.”

Added longtime Board member Betsy Shaughnessy: “We have had the privilege of working with a great treasurer and look forward to keeping the tradition of fiscal excellence with Treasurer Timothy J. Penton.”