“We had some good candidates,” Hinojosa said Wednesday, though he refused to say how many applications were from internal candidates.
Hinojosa wants to recommend a candidate to the school board at June 28 meeting.
“If we don’t have the quality, then we won’t rush it,” he added. “We will give it more time if needed.”
The district accepted applications for the job during a two-week window from June 5 through Tuesday night. Hinojosa said that is the only place the opening was posted.
“This is such a technical position, we are really interested in someone who knows about Georgia and Georgia school finance,” he said, though he added that some applications came in from Florida and California.
School board member Lynnda Eagle, who represents northwest Cobb, said she was glad to hear that Hinojosa has received a variety of candidates.
“It’s one of the most critical positions next to superintendent,” she said. “It’s good news that we’re getting lots of applicants. I had some concerns about it.”
According to the district’s job site, the new finance chief could earn between $109,968 and $141,894, although his salary was $122,945 last year.
The job requires a master’s degree in finance or a related field, as well as a minimum five years of experience in financial management.
The chief financial officer is responsible for the district’s nearly $1 billion annual budget.
“This is one of the most important positions we have,” Hinojosa said.
Hinojosa also said that while he’s thoroughly enjoyed working with Addison professionally, he’d miss him being around the central office.
“He’s so smart and so smooth and so well-respected,” he said. “Not only does he do the budget, but he’s at all the staff meetings. That’s not always the case for CFO’s, but Mike has a great relationship with all the people around here and that’s going to make it especially tough.”
School board vice chair David Morgan agreed.
“(Addison) set a very high threshold and standard, so I think whoever that person is, will have tough shoes to fill,” Morgan said.
Addison, 55, is retiring effective Sept. 30 after 29 years with the district. He came to the district in 1983 as an account supervisor from KPMG. He was born and raised in Cobb and graduated from Sprayberry High. Addison Elementary School in Marietta is named for his grandfather, the late W.P. Addison.
Addison’s wife, Beverly, also worked for the district before retiring in October.
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Mr. Addison is not the epitome of a CFO. It is not a sad day for Cobb County School District.
When it comes to those retired from the upper tiers of the education field in particular, look at who is working at some of the local private schools around the area or consulting to local counties? Retired government employees. Teachers in math, science and language fields are also finding a second career by choice after government retirement. Mr. Addison can now either enjoy life and his free time or he can start another career and eventually have 2 retirement incomes. What nut said that people want to be employed until they drop? I encourage young people to apply for government jobs. I wish I had.
Retiring at the age of 55...what a fortunate man.
LOL