Schools hire new business chief

Thomas Eldridge will be paid $100,000 annually.

By: Lea Kahn
   The Lawrence Township Board of Education last week hired Thomas Eldridge as the new district business administrator.
   Mr. Eldridge will replace Nicholas Puleio, who resigned the job to take the identical post in the Brick Township school district. Mr. Eldridge will be paid $100,000 annually. His first day of work will be Dec. 17.
   Mr. Eldridge is currently the assistant school business administrator in the Gloucester Township school district. Formerly, he was the school business administrator for the Frenchtown school district.
   The Delran resident received a bachelor’s degree in education from Rider University in 1992. He earned a master’s degree in educational administration from Rider University in 1995.
   Mr. Eldridge is familiar with the Lawrence school district. He served his internship in school business administration under Mr. Puelio during the 1994-95 school year.
   There were 17 applicants for the position, said Gale Tapper, the school district’s director of personnel and administrative services. Five applicants were interviewed, and that list was whittled down to two finalists, she said.
   The two finalists were interviewed by a committee made up of the central office administrators, school board member Michael Brindle and board President Mary DiMartino.
   Also, schools Superintendent Max Riley visited the Gloucester Township school district. The school board hired Mr. Eldridge based on Dr. Riley’s recommendation.
   "I am thrilled with the choice," Mr. Brindle said. "I wish we could have hired both candidates. Each one brought certain things to the table. It was a very good decision."
   Donna Cubit-Swoyer has been serving as interim business administrator since Mr. Puleio’s departure in September.