Educational Services Company

Our Consultants

Our consultants represent a diverse, professional background.

W. C. 'Pete' Apple
Consultant

Pete had been a long time administrative member of the Lawrence Township School District's management team. Pete's experience covers 40+ years with the last number of years as Director of Purchasing for MSD of Lawrence Township. He is frequently 'sought out' as a lecturer and resource person in the areas of purchasing, and public purchasing consulting. He has and is ESC's consultant for fixed asset accounting and inventory procedures. He is a life long resident of the Lawrence community.

Timothy L. Armstrong
Consultant

Tim Armstrong finished his school career at the Metropolitan School District of Warren Township, where he began as a business education teacher at the Walker Career Center in 1972 and retired as the Chief Financial Officer in 2003. Tim also worked as an accountant during his undergraduate years at Butler University and was Assistant to the Dean for Business and the Herron School of Art at IUPUI. He has been a member of our organization since June 11, 2004.

Deborah Babcock, CAN, CIW, CWP
Consultant

Before joining ESC, Debbie was employed by The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis for 8 years and most recently served as the Director of Information and Interactive Technology. Prior to that, she spent 7 years at Westfield Washington Schools, first as a Washington Elementary instructional assistant, next as building Technology Coordinator, and then as district Information Systems Support Specialist. Debbie is an active member in many professional organizations, such as Indiana Computer Educators and International Society for Technology in Education. She is a published author and has presented at many local, regional and international technology conferences.

Jacqueline J. 'Jackie' Beery, Ph.D.
Consultant

After a 25-year career as a business teacher, business manager, assistant superintendent, and superintendent in 3 northern Indiana school districts, Jackie retired as East Noble's superintendent for the past 8 years and joined Educational Services in March of 2006. She was also honored to serve as president of IASBO in 1994-95, having proceeded through the officer chairs and completing 2 terms as a regional director. Her expertise in school finance, employee/administrative benefits, negotiations, strategic planning, and school board in-service will be utilized in her new consulting role for ESC as an interim superintendent or business manager, as well as her availability for Board and administrative training sessions. Her most recent presentations include "Hiring Administrators" for ISBA (9/2005) and NSBA (4/2006) to help school boards work through the process from start (posting the opening) to finish (salary/benefit package) and the critical Board decisions necessary to attract and keep top-notch administrators.

William H. "Hank" Binder III
Consultant

A lifelong resident of Indianapolis and a graduate of Lawrence Central High School and Indiana University, Hank retired from the Indiana Department of Education on October 1, 2009 after having been with IDOE for 37 years. In 1988 and again in 2009, Hank received the Distinguished Service Award from the Indiana Council of Special Education Administrators in recognition of his experience and knowledge of special education and its special issues. In cooperation with Indiana University, Hank developed the local special education student database management information system (IEM/CODA) used by all planning entities. This system collects all state and federal required child count data on 180,000 students with disabilities. He was also involved in the development of the current state special education funding formula (APC) which was revised in 1997.

Educational Services Company is pleased to include Hank among its team of consultants, and we hope that he will be of particular assistance in aiding school corporations with laws and issues concerning Special Education in the State of Indiana.

David M. Bowen, FAIA
Consultant

An Indianapolis native, Dave graduated in 1960 from the University of Cincinnati. He served in the United States Army Reserve following graduation and was discharged a Captain in 1968. Dave is a registered architect and has been in practice for over 40 years. He was elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects in 1979. Dave is currently serving as a member of the School Property Tax Control Board. He will assist us in providing design/build front-end services for school corporations.

Anthony P. ‘Tony’ Broadwell, Ed.D.
Consultant

Retiring from the Richmond school system, Tony brings to us both an experienced business manager as well as the person who can operate as an interim-superintendent for school corporations around the Richmond area. Tony had also worked with various school systems in Lake County for nearly twenty (20) years. Throughout his career of 30+ years within the school system, he has filled many different roles, from drug education coordinator, building administrator and assistant business manager to assistant superintendent for business affairs, associate superintendent for finance and planning, to his most recent position as Superintendent for the Richmond Community School System.

William H. Brown
Consultant

Bill joined ESC in July of 2007. A graduate of Decatur High School, Bill has a bachelor’s degree from Purdue and received his Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from Purdue in 1972. After working in Fort Wayne from 1971-1993, Bill became the Director of Transportation for Perry Township in 1994, the Director of Business Services in 1997, and the Associate Superintendent for Business in 1999.

Douglas L. Cassman
Consultant/Co-Founder

After twenty-five years in the insurance industry, Doug joined Educational Services Company in the fall of 1996. Doug was not only a founder of our company, but was deeply involved in setting up other entities that specialized in service to public schools in Indiana and other states. Doug's background in employee benefits, retirement plan design and private sector entrepreneurial activities provides our clients, as well as our company, with a balanced business perspective.

Robert Channell
Consultant

Robert Channell has over fourteen years of experience in school business operations, including accounting, finance, budgeting, and investing. He will be working with school treasurers and business managers on school business issues. Having recently retired from the Center Grove Community School Corporation after serving as their Treasurer and Accounting Supervisor, Bob joined us in March of 2009. He has extensive experience in financial accounting of construction projects in excess of $60 million and is a Certified Assistant Chief Business Official through the Indiana Association of School Business Officials (ASBO).

Richard G. Cook
Consultant

Having lived and worked in Michigan City all his life, Dick truly knows the ‘background of the school system’ - as student, staff member and administrator. Thus, Northern Indiana schools are able to turn to ‘one of their own’ for advice, here at Educational Services Company. Prior to joining us in 1999, Dick’s experience included teaching business and holding positions such as purchasing director and financial assistant and, finally, business manager (24 years).

Raymond A. Cusic
Consultant

After a 42-year career as an English teacher, principal, curriculum director, and assistant superintendent in three Indiana school districts, Ray retired as Tri-Creek's assistant superintendent of business and human resources and joined Educational Services in May, 2010. For the last eight years he has served as budget reviewer with the Meritorious Budget Award Program of ASBO International. He also was an instructor at Purdue University - Calumet in school business management for eight years. Licensed as a school superintendent in Indiana, his expertise in school finance, employee/administrative benefits, interest-based bargaining, strategic planning, and budget management will be utilized in his new consulting role for ESC as an interim superintendent or business manager, as well as his availability for Board and administrative training sessions.

Dennis A. 'Denny' Deeter, FSA, MAAA
Consulting Actuary

In 2001, Denny joined the team at Educational Services Company with twenty-seven years’ experience in the insurance industry in the areas of financial reporting, business modeling, valuation of liabilities, experience studies and business planning. In addition to operating his own company, Denny’s previous experience includes serving as valuation actuary for Standard Life Insurance Company of Indiana and United Presidential Life Insurance Company in Kokomo, IN. He is a Fellow with the Society of Actuaries and a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries.

Ijeoma (Ije') Dike-Young
Financial Associate

Ijeoma Diké-Young is a CPA who will be working with Indiana school systems on issues of finance and bond issues. Ijeoma (we call her Ije') has a BA from Earlham College and an MS/MBA from Northeastern University in Boston. She began her professional career with Ernst and Young in New York City and has previously worked locally for Roche Diagnostics, Steak ‘N Shake, Windrose Medical Properties Trust, and other well-known Indianapolis businesses. Her areas of expertise include annual budgeting, auditing, cash flow management, and financial process/accounting position documentation, among other things.

Donald D. Dyck, Ph.D.
Consultant

Don is a skilled communicator and facilitator with expertise in curriculum and instruction, school-community relations and school facility planning. Don joined ESC after serving as a senior fellow at the Center for Leadership in School Reform in Louisville, Kentucky and a senior associate for Planning Advocates, Inc., Delaware, Ohio. He began his educator career in Ohio as a high school math teacher. He also served in the Ohio Department of Education and in various school districts as a principal, assistant to the superintendent and superintendent.

Ronald P. Emrick
Consultant

A former East Allen County Schools Administrator, Ron is from Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he worked nineteen years as a financial assistant and then filled the role of Chief Financial Officer until his retirement in December of 2005. Prior to that, Ron worked five years in public accounting and fifteen years in private accounting.

William E. Gall
Consultant

Bill Gall began his career as an elementary school teacher in 1965. After retiring as the Superintendent of the Griffith Public Schools he joined us at ESC in October of 2004. Bill intimately understands the workings of public education: he moved from teaching grades 3-6 to elementary school principal and from Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent to Assistant Superintendent for Business Affairs and, finally, to Superintendent. Bill received his Ed.S. degree in Educational Administration from Purdue University in May, 1975, and in addition to a wealth of school experience, has been President of the Association of School Business Officials International (1994) and the Indiana Association of School Business Officials (1988).

Thomas G. Grabill
Consultant

A former Lawrence Township administrator, Tom is originally from the Michigan City Area Schools, starting as a high school chemistry teacher. Tom moved into school administration in the early 70s at Tri-Creek in Lowell, then 13 years at East Allen County Schools before the last five here in central Indiana. With nearly 30 years as a Business Manager in three different size school districts, Tom is a valuable resource to corporation officials throughout the state, and has been with Educational Services Company since January of 1999.

Patricia Green
Consultant

After her retirement in 2003 from the Greenwood Community School Corporation, Pat continues to offer training and support to the Central NineCareer Center, Greenwood Community Schools and South East DuBois School Corporations. She brings 28 years of experience, to Educational Services Company, in the areas of accounting, budget, payroll, and personnel.

Robert P. Harris, II
Executive Director

On March 1, 2011, Bob assumed the role of Executive Director with Educational Services Company (as well as Governmental Consulting Services), bringing with him a wealth of experience including such roles as Chief Financial Officer for the Metropolitan School District of Decatur Township (2010-2011) and for the Metropolitan School District of Perry Township (2007-2010). Prior to his time at Decatur and Perry Townships, Bob worked for the Department of Local Government Finance and the State Board of Tax Commissioners (from 1993-2007), in such positions as Field Representative, Training Director, External Affairs Director, Assessment Director, Assistant Budget Director and Budget Director. Bob’s varied roles throughout his career make him a great addition to the Team at ESC and GCS.

Ron Hasler
Consultant

Ron Hasler graduated from Purdue with a degree in Agricultural Education and taught at Floyd Central Junior/Senior High School for two years. After his initial teaching experience, Ron returned to the family farm in Newberry where he farmed for twenty years. He then received additional teacher certification and taught seven years for the Monroe County schools. Ron then began his administrative career, completed his EdS degree at IU Bloomington, and joined ESC upon his retirement as the Superintendent of Schools of Bloomfield, where he has held that position for five years. Ron will be working with school corporations in southwest Indiana.

Timothy L. Jackson, Ed.D.
Consultant

The former Assistant Superintendent of Plainfield Community School Corporation, Tim brings with him over 35 years of educational experience, including directing student and community services at Ivy Tech, thirteen years of service to the Richmond Community School Corporation, and fourteen years with the Plainfield schools. Among his many professional achievements, Tim was president of the Indiana Association of School Business Officials. He was honored (in 2002) as the School Business Official of the Year for Region 8, and was also honored as the School Business Official of the Year for the State of Indiana. Joining ESC in November of 2004, his range of experience with vocational education and school administration make him a valued member of the ESC team.

Thomas G. Mandon
Executive Director

Tom served as Executive Director of ESC from October, 2006 through February, 2011. His career began in the Portage Township Schools as a middle school science teacher. After three and one-half years in the classroom, he became a business official in Portage. Tom served as a business official for the next 29 years, retiring from the Greenwood Community School Corporation. In 1998-99, Tom was the President of the Indiana Association of School Business Officials. He was later honored as the School Business Official of the Year for Region 8 and also as the School Business Official of the Year for the State of Indiana.

Nancy L. Marlow
Consultant

Nancy joined ESC in the summer of 2011, upon her retirement from Greencastle Community Schools, where she served as the Chief Business Officer since 1995. Having also served as Deputy Auditor/Payroll Clerk for the Daviess County Auditor’s Office and Corporation Treasurer for North Daviess Community Schools, Nancy brings with her a wealth of experience and knowledge. She has been a member of IASBO since 1987 and is a 2-time recipient of the IASBO Region 9 Treasurer of the Year Award.

William J. McKinney
Consultant

William J. McKinney, an Educational Services Company Consultant since 2005, has been involved in special education services his entire working career. Bill began his teaching experience in the New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corporation in 1962 in the areas of elementary and special education. From 1967 to 1970 he served as Indiana’s Consultant for Instructional Materials for Handicapped Children and Youth for the Indiana Department of Public Instruction, Division of Special Education. During this three year process, he worked with Michigan State University, Ohio and Michigan Departments of Education, and publishing and manufacturing companies throughout the United States, in the development of instructional materials and equipment for youngsters with special needs. He served from 1970 to 1998 as the Director of Special Education for the Northeast Indiana Special Education Cooperative, which consisted of twelve school corporations in the four northeast Indiana counties of Noble, LaGrange, Steuben, and DeKalb. In 1998, Bill began an independent special education consulting service, which continued until 2005, when he joined Educational Services Company. Since that time, Bill has completed special education studies for fifteen (15) sites that included direct involvement with 44 different school districts.

James McLochlin
Consultant

A graduate of Ball State University, Jim joined ESC in November 2006, having recently retired as Director of Personnel for MSD of Warren Township. Previously, he worked as Director of Special Education of MSD of Warren Township and also has extensive prior working experience as a school psychologist and special education teacher. In addition to his work experience, Jim previously volunteered in the community by being a member of the Board of Directors for the Marion County Association for Retarded Citizens and served as chairman of the Marion County Advisory Committee for the Gallahue Mental Health Center.

Ray Pavy
Consultant

Retiring as Assistant Superintendent for the New Castle Community School Corporation, Ray came on board with ESC in January 2007. He began his career as a business teacher and coach, taught special education, and then moved into school administration where his responsibilities included an emphasis on the personnel and business functions, including fringe benefits, contract administration, negotiations, budget development, recruiting, and retirement counseling. Ray's expertise will serve him well as heworks with the school corporations.

Thomas Peterson

A native of Union City, Indiana, Thomas has been involved in Indiana school finance for twenty-four years. As bond counsel, he has served Indiana schools in approving issues for tax warrants, general obligation bonds, lease financings and refundings. Thomas’s work with ESC will have an emphasis on helping schools prepare for and undertake the referendum process, both for a general fund levy outside of the property tax caps and for construction projects.

Niles C. Pfafman
Consultant

A graduate of Purdue University, Niles Pfafman began teaching at Carroll High School (Northwest Allen County Schools) in 1965, and was an administrator at Carroll from 1975-1982. From 1982 until 2004, Niles was the Northwest Allen School Business Manager responsible for developing and administering the budget, all purchasing, transportation, the hot lunch program, and buildings and grounds management. He began his career with Educational Services Company in August of 2004.

Kevin Plew
Consultant

A founding member of the Metropolitan Energy Gas Association (MEGA), Kevin’s background includes the initiation and management of energy conservation for the entire Franklin Township CSC (May 2000-Sept. 2006), new home construction, and education within three different School Corporations, involving the management of students, developing curriculum, giving instruction, and evaluating results in various subject areas within the Industrial Arts and then the Industrial Technology subject areas.

Larry J. Renihan
Consultant

Another ex-math teacher, Larry currently is on the teaching staff at Indiana Wesleyan University. After ten years as a teacher, twenty years as a principal, Larry joined our team of professionals in 1994. Mr. Renihan provides another experienced and seasoned consultant in our curriculum area, among other services he provides. Undergraduates at both Butler University and the University of Indianapolis have enjoyed Larry's teaching style, as he is known as an excellent communicator and speaker.

Pamela P. Retzlaff, CEBS
Benefits Consultant

Pam joined ESC in February, 2007 to work with schools on their benefits programs. For the past 18 years Pam has worked with a variety of organizations and helped them design and maintain retirement and other benefits programs to meet the unique needs of their employees. Pam has earned her CEBS, Certified Employee Benefit Specialist, professional designation.

Mary Ann Ripperger
Consultant

Upon her retirement from Northern Wells Community Schools in June of 2004, Mary Ann joined Educational Services Company, bringing with her 27 years of treasurer and business office experience. Her various responsibilities with Northern Wells included receptionist, ECA Treasurer, Transportation, Cafeteria Director, Treasurer and Administrative Assistant for Business (Purchasing, Budget, Payroll, Personnel). She has also done consulting work with other school districts, including Northwest Allen, Michigan City, Southern Wells and Adams-Wells Special Services.

Erwin E. 'Pete' Rump
Consultant

Starting his career in Valparaiso, Pete spent 20 years as a teacher then Business Manager/Assistant Superintendent before becoming a Senior Officer in the Department of Education, Division of School Finance. An experienced financial manager, Mr. Rump has been with Educational Services Company since 1990 and has been involved in fund management and several building projects from start to finish. Most recently, Pete has been active in the fixed asset accounting phase of our consulting business as well as leading a team that is assisting a school system with an extensive building project.

Joseph Scher
Consultant

Joe Scher is another of our consultants with 40+ years of experience. Twenty-five (25) of those years were spent serving as Business Manager of East Allen, Crown Point, Elkhart and MSD of Warren Township in Indianapolis. Since 1996, Joe has been one of our budget and financial planning specialists, in addition to being called on to assist with the set-up of procedures and policies within a business office. Mr. Scher is well known throughout Indiana and a frequent instructor in workshop settings.

James E. Vance
Consultant

As an Energy Management consultant, Jim offers a proven set of techniques for saving utility dollars. During his eleven years as Energy Manager at MSD Perry Township, the school district averaged a cost avoidance savings of over $1.3 million per year and showed a net gain of over $600,000. The average cost avoidance for the entire period was 40.03%. Jim was instrumental in creating Hoosier School Benefit Trust and MEGA gas consortium. He organized and hosted quarterly seminars for area Energy Managers and Facility Directors with presentation by experts and idea sharing.

Debra A. Wolfe
Consultant

Deb Wolfe joined ESC in January of 2009. She was formerly employed by the ISTA Insurance Trust as a Field Coordinator. She is a licensed agent with experience in all facets of employee benefits. She has a particularly strong aptitude for those benefits associated with health insurance. At the ISTA Insurance Trust, she was responsible for the sale, implementation, service, and renewal of employee benefit plans for public schools. Prior to her employment with ISTA, Deb was the Director of Eligibility & Billing Services for Benefit Systems, Inc. She is a member of the Indiana State Association of Health Underwriters, and her community involvements include Habitat for Humanity and The Villages Homeowners’ Association.