After 16 months, permanent staffer finally hired

Benicia has a new finance director, City Manager Brad Kilger announced late Thursday.

Kilger said has hired Karin Schnaider, who will begin Monday.

Since 2006, Schnaider has been the director of administrative services for Sierra Madre, which Kilger described as a full-service city, as Benicia is.

“At this position, she experienced success replacing the city’s accounting system with one that linked all city processes into one comprehensive system,” Kilger said in a prepared statement, noting that Benicia is in the middle of trying to get a similar computer system in place.

“Her experience includes the completion of nine financial audits and compliance audits in five years,” he added.

Schnaider is Benicia’s fifth finance director since 2011, including two who have had the job on an interim basis. That year, Rob Sousa retired and Bill Zenoni was named interim finance director. Zenoni remained on duty until Karan Reid was hired.

Reid had the job 10 months, beginning July 23, 2012, until she left April 27, 2013, to accept the same position in Concord.

Brenda Olwin has been the interim finance director since Reid’s departure, while Kilger sought a permanent replacement.

In addition to Schnaider’s city government experience, she has been the fiscal service manager and accounting manager for the Pasadena Unified School District, where she was employed three years.

“Schnaider indicates she has benefited greatly from working for a small, full-service city like Sierra Madre, as this has presented the opportunity to acquire a wide range of skills and hands-on experience while maintaining a big-picture perspective,” Kilger said.

“She values working and communicating with the City Council, the community and all levels of staff to stay informed of the city’s activities and assist in meeting the organization’s goals.”

Schnaider is a graduate of San Diego State University and has a degree in science accountancy. She also has studied local government leadership at Cal Poly Pomona University, and is enrolled in the master of public policy administration program at California State University-Long Beach.

“The city is very fortunate to get someone with Ms. Schnaider’s extensive background and experience,” Kilger said.

“We look forward to having Karin on board.”

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