By Karen Cornelius
Vermilion City Council held a special council meeting on Thursday night, January 11, to vote on one specific item, the appointment of a new city finance director to replace outgoing director Brian Keller. After a call to order, council members went into an executive session for personnel, and then reconvened to unanimously vote for mayor Jim Forthofer’s appointment of Amy Hendricks to the position.
Hendricks is a familiar face to many as she was the treasurer and chief financial officer for the Vermilion Local Schools from August of 2000 to September of 2013. At that time, Hendricks left to serve the Fairview Park City School District as its treasurer and chief financial officer from 2013 to the present. Hendricks is a Vermilion resident and stated at this phase of her life serving the city is the place she would like to be in her career. “I’m so excited to work with everyone,” said Hendricks. She is looking forward to starting her new position on February 1. Council also approved compensation at $74,000 plus benefits.
Henricks has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Toledo in business administration with honors. She has a master’s degree of business administration from the University of Findlay in 2001. Previous to Vermilion and Fairview Park, she worked as treasurer and chief financial officer for the Stryker Local School District, and for the Williams County Educational Service Center as well as serving jointly as treasurer for the Defiance County Educational Service Center. As far as her management skills, Hendricks was the Great Lakes Council of Governments fiscal agent for the health insurance consortium with a $15 million annual budget. She holds a school treasurer’s license and a school business manager’s license.
During her career, she has received many awards including the Auditor of State’s Award in 2016, a certificate of excellence in financial reporting from the Government Financial Officers Association, excellence in financial reporting award from the Association of School Business Officials International, Meritorious Budget Award from the School Business Officials International, and Vermilion Business Woman of the Year. She is further the current president of the Northeast Ohio Association of School Business Officials and the former president of the Ohio County School Treasurer’s Association. Hendricks was additionally a member and also the chairman of the Vermilion Parks and Recreation Board.
Once the rules were suspended on the first reading of an ordinance to hire Hendricks, this ordinance was adopted by emergency. Council president Steve Herron thanked Hendricks for applying for the position and thanked the mayor for finding such a qualified candidate to nominate. He announced council members would have a goal-setting meeting on Saturday, January 13, but it was canceled due to another winter storm.
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