Business Director earns North American School Finance and Operations credential 

City Times Staff

Tom Owens has added a little more padding to his resume- and to the district.

Dr. Thomas R. Owens is the director of business services with the Stevens Point Area Public School District. He recently was awarded the Certified Administrator of School Finance and Operations (SFO) certification by the Association for School Business Officials (ASBO) International.

The SFO Certification, a new certification by ASBO, is granted only to highly qualified individuals who fulfill multiple requirements, including demonstrating eligibility through work experience and education, as well as passing a comprehensive two-part exam that tests competency in accounting and school business management topics.

Owens also had to demonstrate long-standing adherence to the ASBO International Certification Code of Conduct.

Dr. Owens earned his Ph.D. from the UW-Madison in Educational Administration. He has also taught at the secondary level, grades 7-12, and at the graduate level for three different universities.

Owens has been a registered school business official for nearly 40 years and is a retired colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve and National Guard.

School business officials who have earned the SFO Certification commit to ongoing professional development, renew the certification annually, and undergo recertification every three years.