BENTONVILLE -- Nineteen people from five states applied to be the Bentonville School District's next finance director.
A list of candidates provided by the district includes Jerry Hudlow, finance director for the city of Lowell, and Lisa Morstad, former chief financial officer for the Fayetteville School District. Nathalie Brunell, director of accounting and auditing for Bentonville schools, is the only internal candidate.
The candidates
Here are the people who have applied to be the Bentonville School District’s next director of finance.
NameTitleMost current employer*City of employer
Michael ArmstrongChief financial officerBenton School District*Benton
Nathalie BrunellDirector of accounting and auditingBentonville School District*Bentonville
Morris CothranAdministrator/controllerHomestyle Assisted Living*Springdale
Andrew CurryCampus administratorArkansas Department of Youth Services*Alexander
Patricia EasonBusiness department chairBryan University*Rogers
Delena GammillSuperintendentRiverview School District*Searcy
Elizabeth GatesVice president and chief financial officerFreedom Bank of Southern Missouri*Cassville, Mo.
Jill HarmonSenior manager-Information systems pillar financial managerWalmart Stores*Bentonville
Jerry HudlowFinance directorCity of Lowell*Lowell
Jewel MorrowChief financial officerYouth Bridge*Fayetteville
Lisa MorstadChief financial officerNational Institute for Excellence in Teaching*Fayetteville
Mark SlavikRegistrarRogers High School*Rogers
John L. SmithRevenue cycle services directorAccess Family Care*Neosho, Mo.
Tony StephensonDirector of purchasingPhysicians Specialty Hospital*Fayetteville
Bret SwennesSenior loan officerFarmers State Bank of Calhan*Falcon, Colo.
Paul TrudoFinance ManagerEcolab Inc.*St. Paul, Minn.
Casey WebbRegional finance managerArvest Bank*Lowell
Phyllis WingateAccounting assistantNanomech Inc.*Springdale
Pamela WorshamBusiness manager/CFOThe Winston School*Dallas
Source: Bentonville School District
The period for submitting applications ended Friday. Dena Ross, director of human resources, said interviews will take place next week.
Ross said this week she didn't know how many people the district would interview, but for similar positions the district typically interviews six or seven people.
The person chosen for the job will oversee a budget that is about $138 million this year. The budget is expected to grow with projections the district will add several thousand more students over the next decade.
Sterling Ming, the district's finance director since 2005, announced last month he would retire at the end of this school year. Ming has worked in education for 40 years.
The district's salary range for its finance director is $89,401 to $126,522. Ming will earn $123,115 this year.
Other candidates are: Michael Armstrong, chief financial officer, Benton School District in Benton; Morris Cothran, administrator/controller, Homestyle Assisted Living, Springdale; Andrew Curry, campus administrator, Arkansas Department of Youth Services, Alexander; Patricia Eason, business department chair, Bryan University, Rogers; Delena Gammill, superintendent, Riverview School District, Searcy; Elizabeth Gates, vice president and chief financial officer, Freedom Bank of Southern Missouri, Cassville, Mo.; Jill Harmon, senior manager-Information systems pillar financial manager, Walmart Stores, Bentonville; Jewel Morrow, chief financial officer, Youth Bridge, Fayetteville; Mark Slavik, registrar, Rogers High School; John L. Smith, revenue cycle services director, Access Family Care, Neosho, Mo.; Tony Stephenson, director of purchasing, Physicians Specialty Hospital, Fayetteville; Bret Swennes, senior loan officer, Farmers State Bank of Calhan, Falcon, Colo.; Paul Trudo, finance manager, Ecolab Inc., St. Paul, Minn.; Casey Webb, regional finance manager, Arvest Bank, Lowell; Phyllis Wingate, accounting assistant, Nanomech Inc., Springdale; Pamela Worsham, business manager/CFO, The Winston School, Dallas;
Hudlow has been Lowell's finance director for most of the past two years. He served as Rogers' treasurer from 2002 until May 2012, when he was fired by Mayor Greg Hines.
Hudlow filed a wrongful termination suit in federal court. A trial in 2013 found Hudlow hadn't been fired in accordance with city ordinance. Hudlow briefly returned to his former job in Rogers in May after being reinstated by a federal judge, but resigned within two weeks after settling additional differences with the city.
Morstad resigned from the Fayetteville School District in June to take a job as chief financial officer for the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching.
NW News on 04/09/2015