West Orange Business Expert Earns Award For Work At Livingston School

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — West Orange resident Sam Goldfischer recently earned a nod from the National Business Officers Association (NBOA) as its 2024 Ken White Distinguished Business Officer Award winner.

Goldfischer is the director of business and finance at Newark Academy, an independent school in Livingston that serves grades 6 to 12.

The award honors one chief business officer each year who has made “outstanding contributions” over several years to the broader field of independent school business operations. They must have also served as a leader and role model throughout the national independent school business officer community.

Here’s what earned Goldfischer a nod this year, according to the NBOA:

“Sam Goldfischer has been the director of business and finance at Newark Academy in Livingston, New Jersey, for more than 32 years. His accomplishments at the school include campus master planning and oversight of a dozen major construction projects, all while keeping Newark Academy debt-free. He has focused closely on myriad tasks large to small, from distributing financial aid to mentoring International Baccalaureate students to interviewing dog-handlers for the school’s border collie. Goldfischer has taught senior-level electives in Holocaust and genocide studies, and economics/personal finance for many years, and is liaison to the school’s student-managed endowment committee.”

The NBOA continued:

“Goldfischer served two terms on the NBOA Board of Directors (2009-2015) and later on the Business Officer Institute faculty (2018). He has served on many other boards, and is an active member of the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools (NJAIS), currently serving on the NJAIS Audit and NJAIS Accreditation Committees, as well as several task forces. In conjunction with the executive director, he has planned two state-wide conferences at Newark Academy and has served on several accrediting committees for NJAIS schools. Prior to his work at Newark Academy, he was in the banking industry. Cherished as a mentor by newer and experienced colleagues alike, he is guided by the adage, ‘When one teaches, two learn.’”

Goldfischer said it was “very humbling” to get the call about the award.

“It has been so gratifying getting congratulatory calls and emails from colleagues expressing how appreciative they are that, at a time when they were struggling professionally, I gave them the time, listened to their issues and shared advice that worked,” he said.

“It’s what we do for each other that is remembered, valued and can make a real difference,” Goldfischer added.

Newark Academy head of school Donald Austin said Goldfischer has been an “outstanding” CFO for more than 30 years.

“The success Newark Academy enjoys today is directly linked to Sam’s work ethic and unwavering commitment to sound practices and ethical management of our school’s finances,” Austin said. “In addition to being a terrific partner to our board and to me, Sam has been a generous mentor and colleague to other business managers in New Jersey and across the country.”

The award will be presented at the NBOA annual meeting on Feb. 27.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site. Don’t forget to visit the Patch West Orange Facebook page.