Mary Ellen Heuton, CPA, is joining the team at Hamilton County Schools as the chief financial officer. She will replace Brent Goldberg, who transitioned to the private sector earlier this year.
Ms. Heuton comes to Hamilton County from the University of Montevallo, Montevallo, Al., where she served as the vice president of Business Affairs. Before Montevallo, Ms.
Heuton served as senior vice president for finance and as the chief financial officer of Marshall University in Huntington, W.V. During her seven years at Marshall, she led the effort to develop a strategic budget model to align financial resources with the university's mission.
"We have a leadership team committed to children and their success in school and life after graduation, so Mary Ellen Heuton is a perfect fit to advance those efforts with her financial expertise," said Dr. Bryan Johnson, superintendent of Hamilton County Schools.
Ms. Heuton began her career in finance in the private sector in the Atlanta area. She has served as a senior accountant, division controller, and operations manager for Elavon, formerly Nova Information Systems, CIT Group, and BVT Management Services. Certifications and professional affiliations for Heuton include the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the National Association of College and University Business Officers, and Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi.
"I am honored to be joining the outstanding leadership team serving Hamilton County Schools," Ms. Heuton said. "It is important for me to use my talents to make a meaningful contribution, and I will be able to do that in this position supporting public education in our community.
"The progress so far on the Future Ready 2023 five-year plan for Hamilton County Schools is impressive. I look forward to working with Dr. Johnson, the Board, and the rest of the team to continue the success for children."