Blog

Welcome to SJFS: Client Advisor Eric Keogler
Welcome to the SJFS team Eric Keogler! Eric works as a Client Advisor at our firm, serving clients across Catholic education. Read below to learn more about Eric and his work at SJFS! Where are you from, and where did you go to college? I'm from Newtown, CT. I...

Sage Intacct Expertise at SJFS: Welcoming Steve Kneier
SJFS recently welcomed to the team Steve Kneier, our new Sage Intacct expert and leadership team member. Steve has several years of experience working with Sage Intacct, and we wanted to sit down with him and see what Sage Intacct has to offer our clients and members...

Hear from the Experts: Payroll Services Product Manager Kim Kelly
“Our goal is to relieve clients of as much of the administrative tasks related to payroll as they are comfortable with, freeing them up to serve in support of their mission.” At St. Joseph Financial Services, we know that you are doing important work. Each diocese,...

Employee Spotlight: Michelle Molina
Get to know Michelle Molina, our newest Client Service Specialist for Payroll Services. Join us in welcoming Michelle to SJFS! Where are you from, and where did you go to college? Born and raised in South Bend, attended Ivy Tech and majored in Accounting. What drew...

Conferences: Where to go, and Who to Find
Conferences: Where to go, and Who to Find There are a number of great conferences available for those in Catholic finance. These conferences offer a chance to learn from experts, network with other professionals, and stay up-to-date on the latest trends, products,...

Team Perspectives: Client Advisor Mary Stange
Forward Momentum: SJFS Team Perspective from Client Advisor Mary Stange I remember when our leadership team got back from their onsite in May, they had the glow of men who had connected on a unified vision. Even our fearless leader, Jonathan Boulos, couldn’t keep the...

Welcome to the Team: Client Advisor Mary Stange
Join us in welcoming Mary Stange to the SJFS team! Learn more about her background, and time with SJFS below. From Mary Stange, Client Advisor at SJFS: After growing up in small-town Boone, Iowa, home of the Kate Shelley High Bridge and Pufferbilly Days...

A Glimpse Into the Financial Landscape: Current Trends and Observations in Catholic Education
Catholic institutions are facing a number of financial challenges. Swings in enrollment, increasing costs, and limited resources are top of mind for educators and administrators across the United States. At the same time, there are financial trends that are working in...

SJFS CEO Jonathan Boulos Adds New Role at Notre Dame as Adjunct Assistant Teaching Professor – Department of Accountancy
As many of you know, SJFS CEO Jonathan Boulos recently began teaching at the University of Notre Dame as an Adjunct Assistant teaching professor. We wanted to learn more about his new position, and his time as a professor - so we went straight to the source! Hear from...

New Hire Announcement: Client Advisor Matthew Keller
Join us in welcoming the newest SJFS Client Advisor, Matthew Keller! Before SJFS, Matthew served as a missionary with FOCUS, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students, serving students in his role on campus. Get to know Matthew below, and welcome to the team!...

Remembering Bishop Patrick McGrath
Today we mourn the loss, and celebrate the life, of Retired San Jose Bishop Patrick Joseph McGrath. What sticks out most to us at St. Joseph Financial Services is how Bishop McGrath was a strong supporter of Catholic education. He established a number of programs to...

New Hire Announcement: Shirley Yaich
Please join us in welcoming to the SJFS team Shirley Yaich! Shirley joins us after working in ministry of the Church, and was drawn to the firm by its mission to serve Catholic schools and leaders across the country. Learn more about Shirley below: Where are...

Setting Tuition After a Year of Inflation: Combatting Rising Costs and Setting Your 2024 Budget
It is no secret to anyone reading this - inflation has run rampant this year across the United States. As salaries climb higher, and costs of materials and software increase seemingly week to week, administrators are left in a limbo of higher costs and higher tuition....

New Hire Announcement: Payroll Product Manager Kim Kelly
We are happy to announce the most recent hire at St Joseph Financial Services, Kim Kelly! Kim joins our Diocesan Support Staff as our Payroll Product Manager, where she will work to ensure that our clients have the access and expertise needed to streamline payroll...

New Hire Announcement: Chief of Staff, Doug Erla!
We are happy to announce the most recent hire at St Joseph Financial Services, Doug Erla! Doug joins our leadership team as the Chief of Staff, where he will work to ensure that the team at SJFS is able to best work towards our goal of streamlining the back offices of...

Inflation and Tuition: How Your School Can Get Ahead in Cost-Setting
It is no secret that inflation has wreaked havoc on every facet of our daily lives - from increased prices at grocery stores, to the increases that we have all experienced at the gas pump, we are in a period of higher costs in the United States. So as a school...

New Hire Announcement: Geoff Turbiak
Please join us in welcoming the newest member of the St. JFS leadership team, Geoff Turbiak! Geoff joins us as the new Director of Marketing and Experience at St. JFS, bringing experience from the automotive industry and a passion for the Catholic Church. Read below...

Coronavirus Effects aren’t the Only “Peak” this weekend.
I’m writing this we approach the 3:00 pm hour when tradition tells us that Christ completed His salvific act. Good Friday is a sorrowful day that remembers how thousands of years of salvation history culminated to this one point. To borrow a term that is currently...

New Year Tuition Set Up
Complete bySCHOOL RESPONSIBILITYHow STJFS Can Help □JanuaryFinalize tuition rates for the new school year and send to STJFS. Finalize any discounts (registered Catholic, multi student, employee, etc.) Determine if you are charging a registration fee...

Quick Take in the Catholic Education Marketplace: Current Affairs and Forward-Thinking Trends
Catholic education is famous for its quality, yet remains a minority in terms of students served across the country. With COVID now in its third calendar year, and suggestions for the cancellation of activities such as football games and band, many parents are looking...

The New Challenge: Preparing Students for Jobs That Don’t Yet Exist
Preparing the next generation of students requires educators to anticipate what their unique challenges will be, and what we can do today to help them be successful. The value of a private education, particularly Catholic, is the flexibility in curriculum that helps...

Meeting with Your Financial Board – How to Prepare and How StJFS Can Help
Meeting with your financial board can be one of the most stressful points of the month, quarter, or year for you as a school leader. From the audits of school finances, to the projections that must be made for the following year, these meetings call to attention the...

Looking Past COVID-19: Emerging Challenges and Countless Opportunities
As the recovery from COVID-19 begins to hit its stride, what constitutes the new normal presents many challenges- but also opportunities for schools to show what they’ve learned over the past two years. With a majority of educators estimating at least 3 months...

Global Institute for Church Management: How Catholic Schools Can Emerge from COVID-19 Stronger than Ever Before
Catholic Schools can use the lessons they learnt from COVID to build back better their organizations and become leaders of education. Catholic schools faced an unprecedented crisis with the closure of schools Catholic school enrollment has decreased by 21.3% since...

Employee Spotlight: Shannon McDonough
Where are you from, and where did you go to college? I am from northern Michigan, specifically I live on Beaver Island. I went to college at Central Michigan University and hold a bachelor's degree in human environmental studies. What drew you to StJFS?...

Making Sense of Financial Aid: Best Practices and Recommendations
Quick Takes: In our recent poll, Financial Aid was identified as a stress point for principals and administrators in Catholic education. There are two keys to administering financial aid at your school: Use financial aid as a tool to...

Employee Spotlight: Jacquelyn O’Neill
Get to know the newest member of the St JFS team, Jacquelyn O'Neill! 1. Where are you from, and where did you go to college? I am orginially from Illinois but grew up in San Diego, California. I went to Saint Mary's College of California and majored in...

Employee Spotlight: Kevin Lawrence
Take some time to get to know the newest member of the St JFS team, summer intern Kevin Lawrence! Where are you from, and where did you go to college? I am originally from Elmhurst, IL which is in the western suburbs of Chicago. I am a rising Junior at the...

Making Sense of Your School’s Finances: Endowments and Restrictive Funds
Quick Hits: Endowments are a point of ambiguity for school officials, as the policies and stipulations tied to them can be difficult to navigate. There are two main types of restrictions placed on endowments: permanent and temporary. Permanent:...

Employee Spotlight: Adan Batres
Join us as we welcome our newest client advisor, Adan Batres, to the St JFS team! Adan will be working with the schools in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. • Where are you from, and where did you go to college? I am from San Jose California and attended San Jose State...

Employee Spotlight: Mark D. Mannerino
Join us in welcoming the newest member of the St JFS team, Client Advisor Mark Mannerino! Where are you from, and where did you go to college? I'm from Pittsburgh, PA and attended college at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA. What drew you to StJFS? What made you...

“That’s Just What We’ve Always Done”
I began my career working for a consulting firm and doing work at some of the world’s largest companies. These are companies with valuations that exceed some nations, and likely exert more influence than an even larger number of nations. Despite those vast resources,...
Welcome to SJFS: Client Advisor Eric Keogler
Welcome to the SJFS team Eric Keogler! Eric works as a Client Advisor at our firm, serving clients across Catholic education. Read below to learn more about Eric and his work at SJFS! Where are you from, and where did you go to college? I'm from Newtown, CT. I...
Sage Intacct Expertise at SJFS: Welcoming Steve Kneier
SJFS recently welcomed to the team Steve Kneier, our new Sage Intacct expert and leadership team member. Steve has several years of experience working with Sage Intacct, and we wanted to sit down with him and see what Sage Intacct has to offer our clients and members...
Hear from the Experts: Payroll Services Product Manager Kim Kelly
“Our goal is to relieve clients of as much of the administrative tasks related to payroll as they are comfortable with, freeing them up to serve in support of their mission.” At St. Joseph Financial Services, we know that you are doing important work. Each diocese,...
Employee Spotlight: Michelle Molina
Get to know Michelle Molina, our newest Client Service Specialist for Payroll Services. Join us in welcoming Michelle to SJFS! Where are you from, and where did you go to college? Born and raised in South Bend, attended Ivy Tech and majored in Accounting. What drew...
Conferences: Where to go, and Who to Find
Conferences: Where to go, and Who to Find There are a number of great conferences available for those in Catholic finance. These conferences offer a chance to learn from experts, network with other professionals, and stay up-to-date on the latest trends, products,...
Team Perspectives: Client Advisor Mary Stange
Forward Momentum: SJFS Team Perspective from Client Advisor Mary Stange I remember when our leadership team got back from their onsite in May, they had the glow of men who had connected on a unified vision. Even our fearless leader, Jonathan Boulos, couldn’t keep the...
Welcome to the Team: Client Advisor Mary Stange
Join us in welcoming Mary Stange to the SJFS team! Learn more about her background, and time with SJFS below. From Mary Stange, Client Advisor at SJFS: After growing up in small-town Boone, Iowa, home of the Kate Shelley High Bridge and Pufferbilly Days...
A Glimpse Into the Financial Landscape: Current Trends and Observations in Catholic Education
Catholic institutions are facing a number of financial challenges. Swings in enrollment, increasing costs, and limited resources are top of mind for educators and administrators across the United States. At the same time, there are financial trends that are working in...
SJFS CEO Jonathan Boulos Adds New Role at Notre Dame as Adjunct Assistant Teaching Professor – Department of Accountancy
As many of you know, SJFS CEO Jonathan Boulos recently began teaching at the University of Notre Dame as an Adjunct Assistant teaching professor. We wanted to learn more about his new position, and his time as a professor - so we went straight to the source! Hear from...
New Hire Announcement: Client Advisor Matthew Keller
Join us in welcoming the newest SJFS Client Advisor, Matthew Keller! Before SJFS, Matthew served as a missionary with FOCUS, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students, serving students in his role on campus. Get to know Matthew below, and welcome to the team!...
Remembering Bishop Patrick McGrath
Today we mourn the loss, and celebrate the life, of Retired San Jose Bishop Patrick Joseph McGrath. What sticks out most to us at St. Joseph Financial Services is how Bishop McGrath was a strong supporter of Catholic education. He established a number of programs to...
New Hire Announcement: Shirley Yaich
Please join us in welcoming to the SJFS team Shirley Yaich! Shirley joins us after working in ministry of the Church, and was drawn to the firm by its mission to serve Catholic schools and leaders across the country. Learn more about Shirley below: Where are...
Setting Tuition After a Year of Inflation: Combatting Rising Costs and Setting Your 2024 Budget
It is no secret to anyone reading this - inflation has run rampant this year across the United States. As salaries climb higher, and costs of materials and software increase seemingly week to week, administrators are left in a limbo of higher costs and higher tuition....
New Hire Announcement: Payroll Product Manager Kim Kelly
We are happy to announce the most recent hire at St Joseph Financial Services, Kim Kelly! Kim joins our Diocesan Support Staff as our Payroll Product Manager, where she will work to ensure that our clients have the access and expertise needed to streamline payroll...
New Hire Announcement: Chief of Staff, Doug Erla!
We are happy to announce the most recent hire at St Joseph Financial Services, Doug Erla! Doug joins our leadership team as the Chief of Staff, where he will work to ensure that the team at SJFS is able to best work towards our goal of streamlining the back offices of...
Inflation and Tuition: How Your School Can Get Ahead in Cost-Setting
It is no secret that inflation has wreaked havoc on every facet of our daily lives - from increased prices at grocery stores, to the increases that we have all experienced at the gas pump, we are in a period of higher costs in the United States. So as a school...
New Hire Announcement: Geoff Turbiak
Please join us in welcoming the newest member of the St. JFS leadership team, Geoff Turbiak! Geoff joins us as the new Director of Marketing and Experience at St. JFS, bringing experience from the automotive industry and a passion for the Catholic Church. Read below...
Coronavirus Effects aren’t the Only “Peak” this weekend.
I’m writing this we approach the 3:00 pm hour when tradition tells us that Christ completed His salvific act. Good Friday is a sorrowful day that remembers how thousands of years of salvation history culminated to this one point. To borrow a term that is currently...
New Year Tuition Set Up
Complete bySCHOOL RESPONSIBILITYHow STJFS Can Help □JanuaryFinalize tuition rates for the new school year and send to STJFS. Finalize any discounts (registered Catholic, multi student, employee, etc.) Determine if you are charging a registration fee...
Quick Take in the Catholic Education Marketplace: Current Affairs and Forward-Thinking Trends
Catholic education is famous for its quality, yet remains a minority in terms of students served across the country. With COVID now in its third calendar year, and suggestions for the cancellation of activities such as football games and band, many parents are looking...
The New Challenge: Preparing Students for Jobs That Don’t Yet Exist
Preparing the next generation of students requires educators to anticipate what their unique challenges will be, and what we can do today to help them be successful. The value of a private education, particularly Catholic, is the flexibility in curriculum that helps...
Meeting with Your Financial Board – How to Prepare and How StJFS Can Help
Meeting with your financial board can be one of the most stressful points of the month, quarter, or year for you as a school leader. From the audits of school finances, to the projections that must be made for the following year, these meetings call to attention the...
Looking Past COVID-19: Emerging Challenges and Countless Opportunities
As the recovery from COVID-19 begins to hit its stride, what constitutes the new normal presents many challenges- but also opportunities for schools to show what they’ve learned over the past two years. With a majority of educators estimating at least 3 months...
Global Institute for Church Management: How Catholic Schools Can Emerge from COVID-19 Stronger than Ever Before
Catholic Schools can use the lessons they learnt from COVID to build back better their organizations and become leaders of education. Catholic schools faced an unprecedented crisis with the closure of schools Catholic school enrollment has decreased by 21.3% since...
Employee Spotlight: Shannon McDonough
Where are you from, and where did you go to college? I am from northern Michigan, specifically I live on Beaver Island. I went to college at Central Michigan University and hold a bachelor's degree in human environmental studies. What drew you to StJFS?...
Making Sense of Financial Aid: Best Practices and Recommendations
Quick Takes: In our recent poll, Financial Aid was identified as a stress point for principals and administrators in Catholic education. There are two keys to administering financial aid at your school: Use financial aid as a tool to...
Employee Spotlight: Jacquelyn O’Neill
Get to know the newest member of the St JFS team, Jacquelyn O'Neill! 1. Where are you from, and where did you go to college? I am orginially from Illinois but grew up in San Diego, California. I went to Saint Mary's College of California and majored in...
Employee Spotlight: Kevin Lawrence
Take some time to get to know the newest member of the St JFS team, summer intern Kevin Lawrence! Where are you from, and where did you go to college? I am originally from Elmhurst, IL which is in the western suburbs of Chicago. I am a rising Junior at the...
Making Sense of Your School’s Finances: Endowments and Restrictive Funds
Quick Hits: Endowments are a point of ambiguity for school officials, as the policies and stipulations tied to them can be difficult to navigate. There are two main types of restrictions placed on endowments: permanent and temporary. Permanent:...
Employee Spotlight: Adan Batres
Join us as we welcome our newest client advisor, Adan Batres, to the St JFS team! Adan will be working with the schools in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. • Where are you from, and where did you go to college? I am from San Jose California and attended San Jose State...
Employee Spotlight: Mark D. Mannerino
Join us in welcoming the newest member of the St JFS team, Client Advisor Mark Mannerino! Where are you from, and where did you go to college? I'm from Pittsburgh, PA and attended college at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA. What drew you to StJFS? What made you...
“That’s Just What We’ve Always Done”
I began my career working for a consulting firm and doing work at some of the world’s largest companies. These are companies with valuations that exceed some nations, and likely exert more influence than an even larger number of nations. Despite those vast resources,...