By SUSAN RUMBLE

Special to The Press

Parkland administrators and board directors expressed appreciation and best wishes to Business Manager John Vignone at his last board meeting on Aug. 24 before his retirement.

Vignone, who began at Parkland in 2006, has a career spanning 44 years of service in education.

He is known for his dynamic presentations of budgetary matters, his charts which make the material understandable, his willingness to answer questions, and his ability to explain financial issues in a manner comprehensible to people who have no accounting background.

Board member Lisa Roth recalled how Vignone was helpful to her in understanding district budgets, especially when she was first elected and everything was new to her.

“I was scared out of my mind about the financial part,” Roth said. “It almost scared me into not running for school board.”

She said Vignone’s “Blue Card” was always a great reference to have on hand with its concise budget information available at a glance.

Board member Marisa Ziegler expressed a similar viewpoint.

“John was always patient and kind, “Ziegler said. “He could explain a complex concept in simple terms.”

Vignone commented on his approach.

“I tried to get the board to understand in the simplest way,” he explained. “I didn’t give 30 pages, I gave one page.”

In the thick ring binder which comprised the budget each year, Vignone always had a designated page for the General Fund Budget Summary.

He advised people to use that page for quick reference as it had all the important information on it.

On a different topic, board member Bob Bold mentioned a lot of children in Parkland School District are better off due to Vignone’s careful handling of finances.

Board Vice president Carol Facchiano recognized Vignone’s “amazing communication skills,” saying he built a strong foundation for the district with financial stability.

Board member Rob Cohen directed his thoughts to Vignone.

“Thank you for your professionalism and level of integrity,” Cohen said. “Your legacy will continue with integrity at the top.”

Superintendent Dr. Mark Madson provided his observations of Vignone.

“You have a gift for the spoken word,” Madson said. “You make the numbers come alive.”

When Vignone spoke to the board in budget presentations, he displayed enthusiasm and passion for the material.

There’s nothing I love more than doing the budget,” Vignone said.

The business manager commented on his approach.

“I always wanted to do the right thing,” he explained. “It can be a difficult path to do what’s right for the good of the organization.

“I wanted what’s best for Parkland.”