On April 6, 2021, at the President’s Leadership Recognition Ceremony, held virtually as part of the CASBO 2021 Annual Conference & California School Business Expo, we were pleased to announce the recipient of the 2021 Schuyler C. Joyner Award, with a formal presentation by our 2020-21 Associate Member Committee Chair Brent Stickler, of Southwest School & Office Supply, a CASBO Premier Partner.

Since 1987, CASBO’s Associate Members have presented this annual award to a CASBO member who has demonstrated outstanding leadership, service and commitment to school business and to our association.

We’re thrilled to say that this year, it was presented to Melissa Anderson, our 2016-17 CASBO President, who has a longstanding history of CASBO involvement and volunteerism!

A Word About This Prestigious Award

The Schuyler C. Joyner Award was created to honor CASBO’s 1938-39 president, who has been credited with transforming school business administration into a profession. Sky, as he was known, was also the 1954 president of the national Association of School Business Officials, where he was described as a “strong force nationally in bringing professional recognition to the school business community.”

Sky Joyner’s long career spanned time in the Pasadena Unified School District and then in the Los Angeles Unified School District, from which he retired as Deputy Superintendent for Business and Education Services. He was a recognized authority on school district insurance coverage and is credited with having saved American school districts millions of dollars throughout the years.

So, each year, we present the Sky Joyner Award to a CASBO member who has demonstrated similar outstanding leadership, service and commitment to school business and to the association. The recipient is chosen by our Associate Member Committee, and a scholarship of $5,000 is awarded to the high school or community college of the recipient’s choice.

About Melissa Anderson

Melissa is the retired Chief of District Financial Services for the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools in the Eastern Section and, as mentioned above, a CASBO Past President. A true numbers person with a heart for school business, there she oversaw the financial transactions for 33 K-12 school districts, four community college districts, two regional occupational programs, three joint powers authorities, the county schools office and numerous charter schools.

Melissa was also responsible for the county auditor-controller and treasurer databases for school districts, and performed statutory examination and approval functions on behalf of both the county superintendent and the county auditor-controller/treasurer/tax collector. Her position was unique in that she was jointly responsible to both elected officials.

Before her retirement from San Bernardino CSS in late 2020, Melissa had a storied, 27-year career in school business, and has been a CASBO member for most of that time, serving in no less than 20 state and section leadership roles — the most notable of which was her tenure as CASBO President in 2016-17.

She also made significant contributions at the county office of education level, as well as in her roles on school employee advisory committees for the California Public Employees’ Retirement System, the California State Teachers’ Retirement System and the California Employment Development Department.

With a busy record like that, it’s certainly understandable why the good life of retirement beckoned! And, with her husband of 35 years, four children, 15 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and two fur-children, it certainly sounds like Melissa will be almost as busy! But, just as she has demonstrated in her long career, we know that she’ll give her all to that endeavor too.

For all of these reasons and more, CASBO was pleased and honored to present the 2021 Sky Joyner Award to this deserving recipient. We want to thank Melissa for everything she’s done for the profession of school business and toast her on her recent retirement … Congratulations, Melissa; we wish you well as you reap your well-deserved rewards!