Candidate: Jerome Kaszubowski

Mr. Kaszubowski has served as a Highlands County Clerk of Courts employee in various capacities for nearly 33 years, beginning in July, 1986.  The most recent ten years, under the Robert Germaine administration, he has held the position of Senior Director of Business Services.  Job duties include supervision of the Accounting and Financial Reporting Division, Accounts Payable/Receivable Division, Human Resources, Payroll and Central Services Division, Official Records, Tax Deeds, Marriage License and Value Adjustment Board Division, and Information Technology Division.  This involves budgeting and hiring tasks for the Clerk of Courts, financial accountabilities for the Clerk of Courts and Board of County Commissioners such as pre-audit and invoice processing, accounting and financial reporting functions, payroll processing, budget forecasting, and surplus funds investing of 70 to 100 million dollars.  Other responsibilities include supervision of Board of County Commissioner Board meeting minutes, Value Adjustment Board meeting minutes, Tax Deed functions, Marriage License issuance, County Insurance Committee member, Clerk/Board Banking Selection Committee member, and significant involvement with most major court-related projects.  Technology Division oversight is comprised of fiber infrastructure and network to approximately 60 County buildings, 230 servers, more than 1000 end user devices, hundreds of applications, county-wide telephone system maintenance and support, as well as full service acquisition, maintenance, and support for the Clerk of Courts, Board of County Commissioners, and Supervisor of Elections, and significant acquisition, maintenance, and support for the Tax Collector, and limited support for the Property Appraiser and Sheriff.  He has also worked for a staffing company for one year in service to the Clerk's office.

Under the Luke Brooker administration, from 1993 through 2008, Jerome held the Information Technology Director/Chief Technology Officer position with direct responsibility for the technology items noted above.  During this tenure, he transitioned the County from a mainframe to a network and server environment including the fiber buildout to many county facilities.

Under the Earl Rich administration, from 1986 through 1992, Jerome held the position of Systems Analyst/Programmer.  He developed several applications including a Civil Court Case Maintenance System, Jury & Witness Management System, and a Building Permitting and Inspection System.

Previous employment included two year stints with Moore Governmental Systems, and NCR Corporation as a Systems Analyst/Programmer.

Jerome earned a Bachelors of Science degree in Business Data Processing, and an Associates degree in Accountancy, from Ferris State College in Big Rapids Michigan, graduating with High Distinction.  He also earned a Certified Governmental Chief Information Officer (CGCIO) certification from Florida State University in 2010, and was a member of the Leadership Highlands Class of 2011.

Jerome is currently Sunday School Superintendent and Teacher at the Ministry Center, Lake Placid/Sebring since 2010, and serves on the Advisory Board.  He is former President and Board member of Heartland Christian School in Sebring, from 2007 through 2012, and former Treasurer of First Baptist Church of Lake Josephine in Sebring, where he transitioned them from a manual paper system to an electronic payment and reporting system.

He is married to Margaret (Singletary) for 30 years.  They have three adult children, Judson Kyle Conley, Kayla Best, and Hannah, Son-in-Law Chuck Best, and five grandchildren, Addie and Kade Conley, and Seth, Bailey, and Aaron Best.