Andrew earned his Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from Manchester University and is currently completing his MBA at Indiana State University. Crawfordsville is a long-time Boyce customer and transitioned to Boyce’s cloud-based ERP platform in 2022.
In the conversation below, Andrew shares his perspective on the evolving role of school finance leaders, the importance of confidence in data, and how purpose and innovation shape both decision-making and culture.
The responses below are written in Andrew’s own voice and reflect his first-person perspective.
The most important part of my job is fiscal management -- and it’s also the most challenging. We’re responsible for making sure the district remains financially healthy while still supporting our primary mission of educating students.
That balance isn’t always easy. Staffing, funding pressures, and legislative changes don’t always align cleanly with instructional needs. A big part of my role is navigating those realities and helping leadership understand what’s sustainable so we can keep teachers in classrooms and students supported.
We absolutely serve as financial advisors to the district, but we’re also educators in our own way. We help tell the district’s financial story -- not just what the numbers are, but what they mean and how we’re navigating challenges.
One thing that’s been especially meaningful to me is getting our team connected to the instructional side. We participate in a reading program with kindergarten and first-grade students, which puts us directly into classrooms. It gets us out of our comfort zones and reminds us who we’re really working for.
That experience helped me clearly define my “why.” Even though I’m not an instructor, I’m still helping kids. That perspective gives the job deeper meaning and helps carry me through the stress and hard days.
Staffing and budget data drive many of our biggest decisions, especially during planning season. We’re constantly running scenarios -- projecting enrollment, staffing needs, and revenue while making sure we’re not overspending today at the expense of tomorrow.
Accuracy matters a lot. We work with an external financial consultant who reviews our numbers and long-term trends. That extra layer of validation gives me confidence in the decisions we’re making and allows me to focus more on leadership and strategy.
People come first. Our business office is structured so that everyone has clearly defined roles and areas of responsibility. That prevents duplication of effort and keeps work moving efficiently.
From a systems standpoint, moving to a modern cloud-based ERP made a big difference. When I started, we were still on a DOS-based system and processes were clunky. Today, we have better access to data, more transparency, and the ability to securely share information with partners without manual workarounds.
I’m a strong believer in modernization and innovation. If there’s a better way to do something, I want to explore it. At the same time, payroll still runs and compliance still matters, so modernization has to be thoughtful.
For me, the real risk isn’t trying something new. The real risk is standing still. Once organizations get stuck, it becomes much harder to move forward.
The move away from paper-heavy processes has been huge for morale. Automation and digital workflows reduce stress and free up time for higher-value work.
Flexibility matters too. Having systems that can be accessed securely from anywhere allows people to keep working when life happens. That capability has increased buy-in across the district and improved the quality of what we deliver.
Coming from the audit side, I thought district finance would be easier. What I learned is that it’s just different. The pressures and competing priorities are very real.
That experience gave me more empathy and helped me manage stress differently. The work will always be there tomorrow. Sustainability matters -- for systems and for people.
Do it. Don’t be afraid to fail. Getting involved early and helping shape solutions leads to better outcomes than waiting until change is forced on you.
School finance isn’t about ledger books anymore. It’s about leadership, communication, and continuous improvement. The moment you stop looking for improvement is the moment you stop being productive.
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