Strink retires after 27 years of service to NIU

by Joe King

The job description for university budget officer assistant has to do with various funds, balances, allocations, appropriations and a lot of other things that can intimidate all but the most seasoned fiscal veteran. But ask Diane Strink, who holds that title, and she sums it up quite simply: "I am the money lady."

That's a claim she can make for only a few days more, however, as she will retire on July 31, leaving NIU after 27 years of service to the university. During that time she received the Outstanding Service Award for Operating Staff and spent a year as president of the Operating Staff Council.

Her career began with brief stints in Accounting and the Bursar's Office, and then she settled in for 11 years as business manager for International Programs. They were all fine jobs, but nothing that she enjoyed as much as her current position.

"I've had the job for 13 years, and I wouldn't do anything else," Strink says.

The job, which requires a working knowledge of nearly every budget on campus, puts her in touch with a broad cross section of people. "I talk to everybody —deans, vice presidents, business managers, secretaries— if they do anything with the budget at all, then I have probably talked to them," she says proudly. Often, those people called Strink in search of assistance — either trying to figure out the arcane mainframe accounting system that kept the books until a few years ago, sorting out the finer points of state budgeting rules or help unsnarling a bookkeeping problem. Regardless, Strink was delighted to help whoever called.

"That was my favorite part of the job," she says. "The interaction with people all over campus, and being able to help them when they had a problem with their budget."

That assistance will be sorely missed, say those who benefited from Strink's help over the years.

"The exceptional thing about Diane is that when you go to her with a problem she doesn't give you 50 reasons why it can't be done, she finds the one that gets it done. She is a problem solver," says Patti Perkins, assistant to the vice president of Finance and Facilities.

"She knew all of the ins and outs of the cumbersome old system, she could always put her finger on the problem," says Sara Lamberty, business manager for the College of Education. "She is just an incredible resource and she is going to be greatly missed; just ask any business manager on campus."

As much as she would like to stick around and continue helping others, the time is right to move on, Strink says.

"I'm leaving because I've had some health issues (she battled breast cancer a few years ago), but now I'm happy and feeling good and I want to spend time with my grandchildren and my family," she says.

Her travels will take her first to South Bend, Ind., where her daughter is due to give birth to a second child in August. From there, plans are open ended, but she and her husband, Daniel, who reside in rural Genoa, plan to see a bit of the world.

The toughest thing to leave behind, she says, will be her co-workers in Finance and Facilities.

"I work with the best bunch of people on campus," she says. "There isn't a better office staff, and I am very appreciative for the opportunity to work with all of them, including Dr. Williams."

A reception honoring Strink will be held from 2 to 4 p.m., Friday, July 19, in the Thurgood Marshall Gallery of Swen Parson Hall.