By Cathie Cush
RADNOR, Pa. — Apr. 21, 2009 — The Philadelphia Area Independent Schools Business Officers Association (PAISBOA), dedicated to promoting professional development and providing economies of scale for its members, has named Emily Miller, of Wynnewood, as its first full-time executive director. The organization has grown significantly in recent years and now serves 149 members Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.
“The new position is an essential part of our organization’s growth plan and strategy for serving our member schools,” said Robert Mueller, chairman of the PAISBOA board of directors.
Miller, who currently serves as business manager at Friends’ Central School in Wynnewood, assume the executive director’s position this summer.
Miller helped found PAISBOA in 1994 and is currently its vice chair. In addition, she has served as program chair for PAISBOA’s professional development activities for eight years. In that time, she has seen its programs almost double in both frequency and attendance. Current programs include topics such as business insurance, risk management, sexual misconduct, energy conservation, human resources administration and transportation.
“My goal is to increase membership and provide dynamic programs that continue to meet the changing needs of independent school business managers and their staffs,” Miller said.
During Miller’s 22-year tenure at Friends’ Central School, she oversaw the addition of a new Lower School campus; renovation of the Middle School; construction of an Upper School classroom building; science, math and technology building; an athletic center; new facilities building and a campus green.
Miller earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Northeastern in 1973 and a master’s in business administration from St. Joseph’s University. Her husband, Jim, has been director of annual giving a Friends’ Central School for the past five years. Both of her daughters are graduates of the school.
About PAISBOA: Originally established in 1968 as the Philadelphia Area Independent Schools Insurance Group (PAISIG) in order to buy maximize buying power for health insurance, the Philadelphia Area Independent Schools Business Officers Association reorganized in 1994, expanded its mission and grew its membership from 50 schools to nearly 150 schools. Today PAISBOA is an umbrella consortium dedicated to professional development, networking and cost savings for its members. PAISBOA membership is limited to private schools in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. College members include Bryn Mawr, Swarthmore and St. Joseph’s University.
In 2008, PAISBOA’s purchasing consortium helped members buy more than $6 million in goods with a collective savings of nearly $1 million. Those savings are returned to member schools. In addition, PAISBOA’s insurance group used a combined $100 million in premiums to help members get better rates, dedicated service teams and a wider range of plans.

