To the Editor:
I am writing to announce my candidacy for the Hopewell Valley Regional School District Board of Education. I’m excited about the opportunity to serve on the school board and to represent Hopewell Township, and I am asking for your vote in November’s election.
We are all fortunate to live in a district with an excellent school system. I believe that my knowledge and experience have prepared me to help make what is excellent, even better. Running with John Mason on a ticket of Integrity and Fiscal Responsibility, my goal is to prioritize student achievement and enhance the quality education we have all come to expect, while remaining fiscally responsible to all of the taxpayers who are contributing financially and in so many other ways.
I grew up in Cinnaminson Township in South Jersey and attended the public schools from grades K-12. After attending Duke University on a Navy ROTC scholarship and earning a degree in Mechanical Engineering, I served in the U.S. Navy for four years as a Surface Warfare Officer, achieving the rank of Lieutenant. I then went to Vanderbilt University, where I earned an MBA in Finance.
My wife Diana, a former public school teacher in West Windsor, and I first moved to Hopewell in 1999, and aside from a two-year stint in New York, we have lived in the Township ever since. Our two daughters attended Hopewell schools, and our youngest recently graduated with the Class of 2019. Through their 15 years in the school system, we’ve had the opportunity to benefit from the expansive, high-level academic and co-curricular offerings as well as the top-notch teachers that a Hopewell education provides.
My professional background features extensive financial experience, including Group CFO for Jackson Hewitt Tax Service, and I’m currently the CFO for a private company based in Burlington. In my spare time, I enjoy giving back to organizations in our community. I was a coach for Hopewell Valley Lacrosse and Hopewell Valley Soccer Association for several years. I am an active member of Princeton Community Church and served as its Treasurer for five years. Additionally, since 2010, I have served on the Hopewell Valley Soccer Association Board of Directors.
If elected, when my term begins in 2020, I’ll be the only Board member that can provide the unique and needed perspective of having no students currently in the District, albeit with the insight that comes from having been an active District parent. I expect to work collaboratively, consider all alternatives to arrive at the best solutions, and to do so in an open and transparent manner. I look forward to meeting more township residents and listening to your points of view.
Bill Herbert
Integrity & Fiscal Responsibility
