Committed Volunteer Retires Long time El Segundo resident Kirk Howell, who recently moved his home and accounting practice to Orange County, has stepped down from his position as Chief Financial Officer for the El Segundo Educational Foundation. Howell joined ESEF’s Board of Directors in the early 1990s, first serving as a Community Representative and, after a couple of years, taking over as the Chief Financial Officer responsible for the Foundation’s accounting procedures, tax returns, bookkeeping, and donation entries. Howell has fond memories of his years on the ESEF

board, despite the many volunteer hours he logged. "During my tenure the Ed. Foundation evolved into a viable financial force, contributing increasingly substantial grants to the ESUSD that continue to have a tremendous impact on education. My own children received an outstanding education in El Segundo schools, which most certainly was augmented by the community’s support for the Foundation’s campaigns. It has been a real pleasure to watch the Foundation evolve and grow," he said.

Howell’s fellow board members are grateful for his many years of service to the ESEF. Board Secretary Duane Conover, who chairs the Foundation’s Finance Committee, commended Howell for his dedication to the Foundation. "He took charge of our finances in an extremely professional manner. He was very efficient and timely. Kirk has been wonderful to work with and was very committed to his important financial responsibilities with the Foundation," he said.

Conover said the Foundation’s fundraising efforts generate a huge volume of data each year, requiring the CFO to oversee and process large quantities of financial information every month. "Keeping track of individual checks coming in and going out, preparing the tax return (which, for non-profit organizations, requires a lot of statistical information), and other logistics is more than a part-time job. It’s time consuming. It takes the same amount of time to process each deposit, regardless of the donation amount," Conover explained.

Board member Jayne Pimlott, who was selected to replace him as the Foundation’s CFO, has assumed the financial responsibilities since Howell’s departure. "I enjoyed working alongside Kirk for the past couple of years as Assistant Treasurer to learn the ropes. He's been a wonderful mentor and has provided an invaluable service to the Foundation over the years."

"We were extremely fortunate to have Kirk serving in this role for many years. And now we are very fortunate to have a capable replacement in Jayne who will take over and run the show in Kirk’s absence," Conover said. "It’s such a relief when someone is doing a job and no one has to worry about it. That’s what it was like working with Kirk."

Although Howell will miss working with his former board members and participating in their successful philanthropic endeavors, he plans to continue playing in the Foundation’s annual Strokes of Genius Golf Tourney each spring. "The Tourney is a great opportunity to visit with old friends, play a round of golf, and raise money for our schools. Who wouldn’t make the long drive north?" he teased.

In addition to being an avid golfer, for many years Howell was a "true blue" fan of El Segundo High School athletics. He was known to show his Eagle Pride at his son’s baseball and football games, which he attended regularly to root on the home team. Howell graduated from Oregon State University and earned his master degree from the University of Southern California. He can be reached at kirk@kirkhowellcpa.com.