When an area is growing as much as Fishers and the Hamilton Southeastern School District, it takes many leaders to handle the influx of people and students.  Our local area is losing two people important to managing that growth.  They both richly deserve retirement.

First, there is Jim White.  He has handled transportation for Hamilton Southeastern Schools for many years.  He was the captain of the ship that scheduled all the bus routes in a community that managed massive student growth during his tenure.  Imagine dealing with that growth and also maneuvering around all the road and street construction we have seen around Fishers.  With all that, the buses almost always ran on time.  Jim will point to his staff, but members of his staff point to Jim as being the leader they always could depend upon.  Jim is traveling to Florida next month, but his main home will remain in the Fishers area.  I wish him well.

Then there is Lynda Carlino.  She is the long-time executive director of the Southeastern Program Of Recreational Team Sports (S.P.O.R.T.S.).  This is a nonprofit organization that has run youth sports programs throughout Fishers and the area encompassing the Hamilton Southeastern School District for many years.  Once again, Lynda presided over this organization during a massive influx of young people wanting to play sports.  It has been Lynda’s job to hold together all the volunteers that have made S.P.O.R.T.S. possible all these years.  Many cities administer youth sports programs through the their local parks & recreation department.  Fishers never had to do that because Lynda Carlino and S.P.O.R.T.S., through private donations, volunteers and some help from local government, has professionally handled youth sports programs.  We all owe Lynda a debt of gratitude for all she has done.  She deserves some time in the warm sun next month.

Zach McKinney is taking over the HSE Schools Transportation Department in a transition that began in July of this year.  Scott Spillman is entering his new job as executive director with S.P.O.R.T.S.

I am sure Zach & Scott will do an outstanding job in handling their new duties.  But we will miss Jim and Lynda.  They have been properly recognized for their long service to the community.  I have had the honor to get to know them a little.  They are both fine people.  I wish them well in retirement.