Your link to Northwest Indiana. tm
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From Our Founder
by Robert J. Wichlinski You may not have known Hugh, but his contributions to our community and to my life were profound. Hugh was the brains behind the finances of the Northwest Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC) and most recently split time at the Highland School Corporation. Given the significance of NIRPC’s reach and effect upon our daily lives in the region, the guy who managed the purse strings becomes a VIP in all our lives… and Hugh was a VIP be all accounts… a quiet VIP. Hugh was a “behind the scenes” guy. He was a constant. While we dreamed up plans for roads, and rails, and buses, and bridges; Hugh was the soul responsible for making certain we could pay for them using State, local and Federal funds… and that the money was spent properly. When the authorities came a callin’ wanting to know how their money was spent on transportation in da region, Hugh was the guy they came to see. He was a fund accounting genius. He did not write the book, but he knew every word of it and how to spend the public’s money in an honest, ethical, and accountable manner. I will forever remember how he stressed out before audits. He regarded his books as a personal reflection of his acumen, integrity & performance. We always seemed to find time to gather before an impending audit. I would smile over the years, full well knowing he had nothing to fear, but he stressed ‘em anyway. He provided me understanding and knowledge of fund accounting that I depend upon to this very day. And he taught me how to protect the taxpayer’s buck. Whatever my parents taught me about being frugal, Hugh reinforced it by example… daily. Hugh was a private guy, but when he’d “let his hair down” and permitted himself some fun he was a blast to be around. The ON-SITE family would look forward to his attendance at our annual Christmas parties because he was so much fun… and because he knew everyone. In one breath he’d engage in a critical debate over politics and switch gears on a dime to share a story that would make ya laugh. But that was pleasure. Around the office he was all business. We were both smokers and would duck out for a cigarette. Hugh he did not permit us to break stride and depart from the discussion at hand regardless of the ceremonies surrounding the bad habit. As Hugh went part time at NIRPC and I departed from the day-to-day at ON-SITE our paths diverged. Occasionally we would connect up and catch up, but obviously not often enough. Somehow I never imagined that our last encounter would be our last. I guess that’s the mistake we make with people who are constants in our lives. Somehow we fool ourselves into believing that they’ll always be there. In my heart he always will. As always, I can be reached via e-mail at b@219.com |
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