The former executive director of finance and operations for Warwick Public Schools has been hired as chief financial officer of the Bristol Warren Regional School District, following a unanimous vote …
This item is available in full to subscribers.
Please log in to continue |
Register to post eventsIf you'd like to post an event to our calendar, you can create a free account by clicking here. Note that free accounts do not have access to our subscriber-only content. |
Are you a day pass subscriber who needs to log in? Click here to continue.
The former executive director of finance and operations for Warwick Public Schools has been hired as chief financial officer of the Bristol Warren Regional School District, following a unanimous vote by the school committee Monday evening.
Anthony Ferrucci will start on or before July 1, Superintendent Dr. Jonathan Brice said. His salary will be $125,000 per year.
"We can't wait for him to start," said Dr. Brice.
The district's top financial post has been vacant since former CFO Raquel Pellerin left in the fall of 2019. Ms. Pellerin landed briefly in Bristol, serving as the town's treasurer, before taking a job as the North Kingstown School Department's financial officer.
After her departure, the district named administrator Joel Harrington as interim finance officer while the search for a full-time replacement began. Administrators placed ads in the Providence Journal and trade publications, casting what they hoped would be a wide net. Though the district went through several searches and at least three rounds of interviews, Dr. Brice said they had no luck finding someone they thought was right for the position. In March, members of the school committee's budget subcommittee voted unanimously to retain the services of The Greysmith Companies of Bristol, and Robert Half Financing and Accounting, to help them fill the vacancy.
"We have a $50 million budget," Dr. Brice said. "While the folks that we have are working really hard and they are certainly doing their best, we recognize the need for there to be a level of expertise that you want in this position. If you look at everybody's resume, you might think (some of the candidates) would be the right fit. But it goes beyond what is merely on that resume. A lot of this job is about experience."
Mr. Ferrucci brings that experience to the table, he told the school committee Monday night.
"We are very very pleased to have a candidate with the caliber of experience (and) the knowledge of Rhode Island" that Mr. Ferrucci has, he said. "We expect that he is going to be able to hit the ground running and really help us do what the school committee would have us do."
Monday's hiring was just to approve Dr. Brice's appointment of Mr. Ferrucci. Procedurally, the school committee must also vote to approve his contract.