Given to those men and women who, as business officers, have made an extraordinary contribution to their schools. The award assists heads of school and others in recognizing the work of their business officer within the school community.
NBOA applauds our 2009 recipients for their extraordinary contributions to their school communities.
This award is given to business officers who have made a significant difference in their schools. These business officers, in doing their job, exemplify a high standard of integrity, knowledge, and motivation to help their schools succeed. They are team players whose work supports faculty, staff, trustees, and administration. They are both excellent managers and true leaders.
In order to be considered for this award, a business officer must have clearly demonstrated an effective mastery of his or her job. Yet more importantly, this individual must have made a significant difference to the school, its staff, and its students.
Nominations are currently closed.
The awards will be announced in Net Assets. As many awards will be given as there are deserving nominees. The award will be delivered to the Head of School to present to the Business Officer at a significant school occasion, such as a board meeting or an all-school ceremony.
Known for rising with the sun and heading straight to work, Will J. Hancock has always gone above and beyond the call of duty. He spent 35 years at Hawaii Preparatory Academy, in a variety of positions, touching many lives, and inspiring countless business officers along the way.
Will served on the faculty of the NAIS Summer Institute for 6 years, and was an active participant in the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, where he founded their Business Officers group. He gave endless hours to NACUBO, ABOIS, Hawaii Planned Giving, the National Committee on Planned Giving, and the National Society of Fund Raising Executives. He also gave his heart and time to causes in his community, as a director on both the North Hawaii Hospice Board and the North Hawaii Community Hospital Board. It was only natural that NBOA, of which Will was a founding member, would make him Associate Director.
Colleague Dee Forgette had this to say about Will: “Simply put, Will allowed us to not take ourselves too seriously. He taught us the 1% rule—that even with the very best planning, at least 1% of the time something will go wrong. On a really bad day, you might have to apply the 3% rule. This allows for innovation, and occasional failure, while still doing a good job…the Hawaiian mystique and macadamia nuts are just window dressing for a very solidly rooted man who is a visionary, innovator, mentor, and friend.”