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 2022 recipients. Stay tuned to Net Assets online for additional profiles.
Title: Controller
School: One Schoolhouse, Washington, DC
Years in current position: 5
Years in an independent school business office: 5
Superpower: Innovative thinker: Brossman reinvented the school’s compensation model to one that factors in school finances and the unique demands of faculty work at One Schoolhouse. For example, as a supplemental educational organization, One Schoolhouse employs part-time faculty members in 29 states, each of whom are paid on a per-student model. “It speaks volumes that the new model is embraced by our board and faculty alike — everyone sees it as fair, thoughtful and in alignment with our values,” said Brad Rathgeber, CEO and head of school.
Transparent communication: Brossman “puts kindness first, and in a job that is about facts and figures, it would be easy not to do that,” said a member of One Schoolhouse’s leadership team. As someone “committed to transparency… he makes financial decisions easy to understand for not-financial folks."
Servant-leader: Brossman is “a true servant-leader who puts the mission and needs of the organization before his own needs or self-interest. He's the best co-worker anyone could ask for,” said Rathgeber.
Steady and reliable: Members of the leadership team describe Brossman as, “reliable as a rock … always composed and steady … and committed to the relationships he stewards.”
