The Will J. Hancock Unsung Hero Award is given to business officers who have made extraordinary contributions to their schools and exemplify exceptional integrity, knowledge and motivation. At the end of each school year, new Unsung Heroes receive their award from their head of school, often at a significant school occasion such as a board meeting or an all-school ceremony. What makes these Unsung Heroes so special? The highlights below come straight from their colleagues' nominations.
See a full list of the 2020 recipients. Stay tuned to NetAssets.org for additional profiles.
Title: Business Administrator
School: Milwaukee Jewish Day School, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Years in position: 18
Years in an independent school business office: 18
Superpower: Stability Stalwart: “Christy transformed the business administration of our school from a disorganized environment into a model of fiscal responsibility, transparency and structure,” wrote Milwaukee Jewish Day School (MJDS) Head of School Aaron Lippman. “Because of Christy's passion, intelligence and vision, MJDS has been able to withstand the Great Recession, increase enrollment in recent years, increase our endowment, streamline internal processes, ensure a near-perfect external audit each year, launch a continuous re-enrollment process, lead our finance committee and maintain an impeccable reputation in the city of Milwaukee.”
Tuition whiz: Horn was responsible for researching, designing and launching a customized tuition program, which she now oversees independently. “Christy takes confidentiality incredibly seriously and, as the only person working with families [on financial aid] and scholarships, is trusted by all to be fair, consistent and unbiased.”
Humble hero: “As the administrator who most impacts the success of our school, Christy never tries to promote herself. She prefers to deflect praise and gratitude to her colleagues [while] ensuring our finances are managed effectively — from the budget, to our many restricted revenue streams and everything in between.”
Outstanding onboarding: “Without being asked, she has trained several new staff over time, ensuring continuity and sustainability within our school. She is thoughtful with colleagues, empathetic to all and loves to have fun.”
See a full list of the 2020 recipients and read more about the Will J. Hancock Unsung Hero Award. Net Assets will post additional profiles of Unsung Heroes throughout the summer and fall — check in to learn more about other recipients.
