October Member Spotlight
As a community of school business management professionals across Florida, we are dedicated to networking, sharing knowledge, and finding solutions in the ever-evolving world of education. We are continually grateful to those who contribute to the success of our association. In this column, we’ll spotlight FASBO members to help strengthen connections within our community.
This month's member spotlight is Jim Drake, our FASBO Treasurer.
Q: What is your name, school district, and position? If retired, where did you last work?
A: I’m Jim Drake. I retired from Monroe County School District as Executive Director of Finance and Performance in June 2020.
Q: What drew you to this role, and how did you get started in this field?
A: After auditing educational institutions for the first 22 years of my career, I felt I could make the districts I worked for more effective and efficient, which in turn allowed more resources to be allocated to the primary function of school districts, which is teaching and learning.
Q: How long have you been a member of FASBO?
A: I have been a member of FASBO for almost 25 years.
Q: Why did you join the organization?
A: I joined FASBO to extend my knowledge of the inner workings of various school districts and applying that knowledge to my own situation.
Q: Who/what inspires you?
A: At this point in my life, I’m inspired by helping those who have chosen the same career path as I to be the best employee/person they can be.
Q: How do you define success?
A: Success to me is doing the right thing for the right reason and sticking to your principles at the same time.
Q: What would be the theme song of your life right now?
A: My theme song would have to be “Growing Older but Not Up” or “That’s My Story and I’m Stickin’ to it” by Jimmy Buffet. It’s a tough question depending what I’m feeling any particular day!
We would like to thank Jim for sharing his career and life wisdom with us! If you would like to be in one of our upcoming member spotlights, or would like to nominate another member, please email Stephanie Burkhardt.
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