By By ANDY HAMILTON / Niles Daily Star
NILES – The Niles Community Schools budget was about $13 million in 1985 when Bob Wright began working for the district.
Now, the district's financial plan for 2006-2007 has been set at $36 million. Wright witnessed the transition over the 20-plus year period as the director of business and finance for Niles.
Wright on Monday announced he would retire his position with the district starting in January. After 32 years of "number crunching", Wright said he is ready for the next phase of his life.
"It was a combination of having a long-term goal of retiring by the time of 60 … and I'm going to beat that by nine months," Wright said.
The other major reason was to be able to spend more time with his family, he added. His wife Joanne has been retired for a few years and the couple plans to travel, take a few more camping trips and spoil the grandchildren, Wright said.
Wright is originally from Pennsylvania. He came to Ferris State University in the late 1970s from business school. Shortly after graduating from the accounting program, Wright took a job with a Benton Harbor company as a certified public accountant.
From northern Berrien County, he moved on to become the financial head at Buchanan Community Schools for about four years. Wright started with Niles in 1985.
Two of the significant changes Wright said he witnessed in his career were the introduction of Proposal A and electronic accounting methods. Proposal A altered the way in which public schools were funded, from depending on millages to relying on state support determined by pupil count, Wright said.
Business was formerly handled all on paper, Wright said. Now, documents are completed and submitted online.
Niles Community Schools Superintendent Doug Law said Wright was one of the longest tenured administrators. He added Wright's departure would be a "huge loss" for the district.
Law said Wright has been responsible for "keeping this district in strong financial footing."
Wright said he will miss working with the people he has come to know in the last 22 years.
"It's going to be tough to walk away in January," he said.