CHRISTIE BUECHE

• Public K-12 school district serving approximately 3,400 students with $52 million General Fund revenue, $91 million total revenue, $122 million total assets, and $1.7 billion in taxable property valuation.
• Contributed as a key member of the Superintendent’s Executive Leadership Team, delivering strategic financial leadership, analysis, and recommendations on district operations, fiscal sustainability, staffing, contracts, capital planning, and long-range financial priorities.
• Provide executive oversight for all financial, business, and administrative operations of the district, including finance, accounting, payroll, employee benefits, purchasing, contracts, transportation, food service, community services, student activities, risk management, and capital projects.
• Functioned as a financial advisor to the Superintendent and Board of Education, leading the Board Finance Committee and engaging in Board meetings, facility planning discussions, negotiations, and district decision-making processes regarding financial and operational matters.
• Lead annual budget development, financial forecasting, budget amendments, cash flow monitoring, fund balance analysis, and long-range financial planning for all district funds, ensuring fiscal responsibility and compliance with Michigan school finance requirements.
• Delivered transparent, timely, and accurate financial reporting to Board of Education, administration, and stakeholders, including quarterly updates, annual statements, state reporting, and required regulatory submissions.
• Direct the annual audit process, including audit preparation, review of audit schedules and workpapers, coordination with external auditors, financial statement review, GASB implementation, and compliance reporting.
• Supervise and develop the Business Services Department staff, providing leadership, coaching, mentoring, hiring, performance management, and process improvement for an eight-member finance team.
• Provide oversight for employee-related financial and administrative functions, including employee benefits, retirement plans, 403(b)/457 programs, benefit reporting, contract implementation, and coordination with insurance providers and benefit vendors.
• Provide districtwide risk management oversight, including insurance programs, workers’ compensation claims, unemployment claims, leave administration, liability matters, risk mitigation strategies, and coordination with insurance providers and external risk management partners.
• Assumed a key leadership role in the successful $242 million May 2025 bond campaign, overseeing rating agency communications, financial analysis, debt planning, bond sale preparation, investment strategy, and coordination with financial advisors and district stakeholders.
• Oversee purchasing, procurement processes, vendor contracts, bidding requirements, internal controls, and financial procedures to ensure transparency, compliance, and responsible stewardship of public funds.
• Provide financial leadership and operational support for district departments, including Food & Nutrition Services, Transportation, Community Services, Student Activities, Facilities, and Capital Projects.
• Led districtwide process improvement initiatives, implementing paperless workflows to enhance efficiency, accessibility, internal controls, and consistency across operations.
• Successfully managed transition of CFO leadership responsibilities, ensuring continuity of financial operations, institutional knowledge, and continued district financial stability.

Director of Finance for a K-12 school district serving approximately 5,000 students with an annual General Fund budget of approximately $80 million.

Supervisor of Financial Services for a K-12 school district serving approximately 5,000 students with an annual General Fund budget of approximately $80 million.

Director of Financial Services for one of Michigan’s largest school districts, supporting financial operations for approximately 15,000 students with an annual General Fund budget of approximately $200 million.

Property accountant for non-profit and twenty-two subsidiaries including property development, investment as well as commercial and private property management.

• Led audit and assurance engagements for governmental entities, school districts, nonprofit organizations, and private-sector organizations, ensuring quality and compliance throughout each engagement.
• Served as primary client contact, coordinating audit communications and timelines, while effectively resolving financial reporting issues to maintain client satisfaction.
• Presented training sessions and firmwide webinars addressing school district audit changes and requirements prior to audit season.
• Reviewed financial statements and audit documentation for accuracy and completeness, ensuring compliance with professional standards and enhancing audit quality.

• Planned and executed school district audit engagements, serving as primary contact for assigned districts from preliminary fieldwork through final reporting, ensuring compliance and accuracy.
• Managed audit fieldwork assignments, supervised staff and interns, and trained team members, enhancing audit quality and operational efficiency.
• Led implementation of new assurance software, overseeing process design, testing, training, and client data conversion to streamline audit processes.
• Applied knowledge of Michigan Department of Education audit requirements, governmental accounting standards, and federal compliance requirements.