BOULDER, Colo.—Mountain Shadows Montessori School Board of Directors President Polly Buster has announced that Elizabeth (Beth) Grindel, a senior financial and operational executive and current MSMS parent, has been named the School’s Director of Operations/CFO effective August 17.
“We are very excited to have such a strong caliber professional as Beth in the role of Operations Director/CFO,” said Polly. “Her varied industry experience and exemplary skill set, her knowledge of the school as a parent of two current students will only enhance her understand and decision making. Her love for Mountain Shadows, respect for AMI Montessori, and business acumen will help to guide the operations of the school, while supporting the parent and child community as it continues to grow.”
As Director of Operations, Beth will collaborate with current interim head of school Terri Allen to lay the foundation for a team-leadership approach for the future head of school and will support and oversee the business office on tuition, re-enrollment, and general enrollment contracts.
Her day-to-day responsibilities will include school-wide systems operations and procedures as well as budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning; accounting; human resources; facility management; insurance; vendor and regulatory agent management; tuition assistance oversight; risk management; corporate filings; compliance; taxes; employment and vendor contracts; and event and fund development support.
“From the moment I visited Mountain Shadows as a prospective school for my children three years ago, I knew it was a special place,” said Beth. I am thrilled to be joining the community in this new role and look forward to working with the exceptional faculty and staff, impressive students, and engaged parents during the upcoming school year.”
Beth has been a senior finance professional in the insurance, investment, and biopharmaceutical industries with broad experience in accounting and financial management and a demonstrated ability to improve operations.
She comes to Mountain Shadows from Clovis Oncology in Boulder where she has served as associate director of accounting and as corporate controller for the biopharmaceutical company focused on acquiring, developing and commercializing cancer treatments. At Clovis she led the SEC reporting, managed the registration of the company’s $300 million common stock offering, served as the controller for four new foreign subsidies, and managed the annual renewal of the company’s liability, property, and casualty insurance policies.
Prior to Clovis, Beth served as a senior level accounting and finance contractor for the $70 million publicly traded Array BioPharma, also in Boulder. In acclimating to the biopharmaceutical industry, she implemented a new financial reporting application, reengineered the outsourcing accrual process for improved accuracy and efficiency.
She worked for John Hancock investments and life insurance as well as Liberty Mutual insurance and Putnam Investments in the greater Boston area from before relocating to Boulder in 2013.
Beth holds an undergraduate degree in business management with a concentration in finance from North Carolina State University and her master’s degree in accounting and MBA from Northeastern University.
She and her husband Chuck are parents to MSMS elementary students Caitlyn (‘18), and Liam (‘22). In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family. Since moving from the east coast, she has enjoyed traveling and exploring new places in Colorado and other western states.