POST Wednesday, April 30, 2025 • Vol. 17 No. 25 • FREE
Cardinal Hires Dan Wilson as Treasurer By Ann Wishart ann@karlovecmedia.com
Cardinal Schools Board of Education voted unanimously April 23 to hire Daniel Wilson in two district fiscal capacities. The resolution approved an employment agreement for him to serve as special fiscal advisor to the board from June 1 to July 7, then as chief financial officer until July 31, 2028. Board President Linda Smallwood said in a follow-up phone call Wilson will be working with district Treasurer Terry Armstrong for a month before Armstrong leaves Cardinal to take a position in Trumbull County, closer to where he lives. He has been treasurer at Cardinal for two years, she said. Wilson submitted an extensive resume showing his first position as a district treasurer in 1973 and terms as school treasurer for Stark County Schools, Canton City Schools, Shaker Heights Schools, Mentor Schools and Kirtland Schools.
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Cardinal Schools Superintendent Jack Cunningham, left, welcomes Dan Wilson during the April 23 Cardinal Schools Board of Education meeting. Wilson was hired as chief financial officer for the district starting in June.
Wilson served as treasurer for Newbury Schools from 2019 to 2020 and was most recently employed by the Educational Service Center of the Western Reserve, ac-
cording to his resume. He lives in Russell Township. In other business, the board approved a five-year employment agreement for Superintendent Jack
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Cunningham commencing Aug. 1, 2026. The board also approved a building/facility capital expense projection, which included earmarking more than $44,000 in 2025 to renovate the administrative offices on East High Street, Smallwood said, adding entry-way improvements, flooring and repurposing unused space into an office are also planned. In a previous meeting, the board discussed moving the offices to one of the schools, but the former home economics space may be used by the Agricultural Career Education classes, she said. “(The administration is) staying in the current building and making it more workable,” Smallwood said. Maintenance to the high school roof this year is estimated to cost about $550,000, which would come out of the general fund, she said. Over the next three years, the board anticipates spending about See Treasurer • Page 3
Cardinal-HC Program Nurturing Home-Grown Talent By Ann Wishart ann@karlovecmedia.com The HC Companies and Cardinal Schools are partnering to produce home-grown employees in a manufacturing environment. The program – Cardinal Corporate Collaborative – familiarizes juniors and seniors with opportunities at HC’s plant in Middlefield Village. “HC and the district tailored the program,” said Cardinal Schools Superintendent Jack Cunningham. “The goal is for our graduates to have great careers in Middlefield Village and stay here.” Andy Cardinal, district director of pupil services, said HC’s manufacturing manager, Brian Cunningham (no relation to Jack), spends a lot of time at Cardinal Schools talking to high school students about opportunities in manufacturing at HC. Students are invited to tour the 500,000-square-foot facility and see the production equipment and pro-
cess of making horticultural containers — a.k.a., flower pots, Brian said. “We built the program to have two stages. First, we have 12 students job shadow for four weeks,” he said. The teens learn about a department a week, such as production, shipping and quality. “The goal is to give young folks a broad sense of what we do,” Brian said. Those who show an interest may be offered part-time jobs after school during which they are treated as trainees and mentored on processes, safety and equipment, he said. “It’s kind of an extended job interview,” Brian said, adding management is looking for a good attitude, technical aptitude and reliable attendance in potential employees. Benefits for the students are two-fold. “The kids can get (school) credit and make a good salary,” Cardinal said.
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Brian Cunningham, left, manufacturing manager at The HC Companies in Middlefield Village, works with Andy Cardinal, director of pupil services for Cardinal Schools, to offer students employment opportunities at the horticultural container production facility.
Summer internships last eight weeks. Students work four hours per day, five days per week and high school graduates can apply for fulltime employment when they turn 18, Brian said. Now that the collaborative is in
its second year, Jack said he appreciates HC’s patience in getting it going. “We couldn’t have had a better partner in building this program See Talent • Page 2
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