Montgomery County Auditor Karl Keith presented Ryan Slone, Treasurer of West Carrollton City Schools, with the Jesse Haines Award during the district’s Board of Education meeting on March 4.
The Jesse Haines Award recognizes individuals in public finance who demonstrate exceptional service, fiscal integrity, and a steadfast commitment to their communities. Slone was honored for his work creating long-term financial stability for West Carrollton City Schools.
Slone has served as the district’s Treasurer since 2002. For more than two decades, Keith says he has built a reputation for transparency and responsible financial stewardship. Under Slone’s oversight, the district has consistently achieved clean state audit reports and has maintained the highest standards in financial reporting.
“Ryan exemplifies the commitment to fiscal responsibility this award was created to honor,” said Keith. “His unwavering attention to detail has strengthened West Carrollton City Schools and reinforced the trust of the community he serves.”
Keith says Slone’s leadership has been especially critical during the district’s transition into new facilities. The district has already opened three new school buildings and is scheduled to move into the new West Carrollton Middle/High School for the upcoming 2026-27 school year. These facilities were built after voters approved a building bond issue in 2019. Keith credits the facility plan’s success to Slone’s careful management of bond financing and construction budgets.
“Ryan views every financial decision through the lens of student achievement, and it shows in his work,” Keith said. “He is widely respected throughout the county for his collaborative, student-centered approach.”
Keith’s award is named in honor of Jesse Haines, who served as Montgomery County Auditor for nearly 28 years. Before his service to Montgomery County, Haines had a distinguished Major League Baseball career as a pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. The Phillipsburg native is immortalized in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.