Lakewood School District Selects New Treasurer

After searching for several months, the Lakewood Board of Education selected a new treasurer for the on Thursday.

Current treasurer of Whitehall City Schools Timothy Penton will begin his new gig in Lakewood in October 2012.

Penton will replace Rick Berdine, as of Dec. 31, 2012. 

Starting in October, Penton will work closely with the current treasurer to ensure a smooth transition, according to the release, and take over the post on Jan. 1, 2013.

Penton is eager to begin his work for the district, noting in a statement that he looks forward “to making Lakewood my home and serving the Lakewood City Schools as its Treasurer/CFO.”

“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,” he added.

The finalists before it selected Penton.

Overseeing Franklin County’s Whitehall City Schools fiscal operations for the past 12 years, Penton has a 29-year career in education and 15 years in school finance, according to a news release from the school district.

Some of his credentials: Penton 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, the released added.

(For more on Penton’s background, read the press release on the district’s website) 

“The Board and Administration are very excited that Timothy J. Penton will be joining our district leadership team,” said board president Matthew John Markling in a prepared statement. “Treasurer Penton’s qualifications are impeccable. All board members, as well as Superintendent Jeffery 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.”