UMD News: August 16, 2013

Communication Associate: Public Relations | Lori Melton | lmelton@d.umn.edu | (218) 726-8830

Members of the CFO group, from left: Bill Hanson, ISD 709, Mike Seymour, UMD, Al Finlayson, Lake Superior College, and Patrick Flattery, College of St. Scholastica
Not pictured: Linnea Mirsch, St. Louis County, Peggy Spehar, City of Duluth, Janet Hanson, UWS, and Stephanie Hammitt, Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College

Bill Hanson, CFO and executive director of business services for the Duluth school district, is looking forward to laying the groundwork for collaboration and appreciates the message that this group sends taxpayers, "When we create efficiencies, like sharing spaces or sharing staff, we're also sharing ideas on best practices in an effort to be good stewards of public money."

The College of St. Scholastica is already partnering with UMD on some projects, but Pat Flattery, VP for Finance at St. Scholastica, thinks that more can be done, "The CFO group allows us to see what issues we have in common and find ways for us to work together."

The first CFO Group meeting was held this week and members discussed opportunities to share the cost of training, IT, security, and facilities expertise. The next meeting is scheduled for mid to late October.}

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