Slippery Rock Area School District has hired a new business manager who will take over the role in early 2026.

District school board members voted on Monday, Nov. 24, to hire Regan Hess for the role of business manager.

Hess currently works as an administrative officer for the Montana Highway Patrol, where he administered accounts payable and receivable and monitored the finances of two of his department’s divisions.

“The business manager position appears to be a role that suits my natural inclinations and has translatable skills obtained from managing the Montana Highway Patrol business operations,” Hess said.

Hess will begin work under a transition plan that starts on Jan. 5. He will work with current business manager Paul Cessar for several weeks as he acclimates himself to the position. Cessar will remain employed through February 2026 to provide guidance and support.

“The district has been well managed. I want to continue the good work that has been done and build upon it,” Hess said. “My short term goal is to mitigate the effects of the budget impasse. A long-term goal is to put the district in a fiscal position to be minimally affected by outside pressures.”