Gary Carskaddan, director of advancement, Saint John's High School
Carskaddan
Gary Carskaddan worked as director of the Holy Cross Fund for eight years, helping the Worcester college achieve the much-envied accomplishment of getting more than half its graduates to make donations. Now, he's moved to another well-known local educational institution, Saint John's High School in Shrewsbury. In this Q&A, he talks about the importance of multi-tasking and about running into his son at the school cafeteria.
Vital Stats:
Age: 47
Residence: Worcester
Family: Wife, Barbara; son, Adam; daughter, Paige
Education: Bachelor's, Rider College of New Jersey; master's in education from the University of Vermont in Burlington
Previous job: Director of the Holy Cross Fund
Start date at new job: Feb. 15, 2010
Q. What's the biggest surprise you've had in starting the job?
A. Everyone here works very hard and they care about the school and the students VERY much.
Q. What challenges do you see in your new position?
A. There are a lot of different directions that we can work in and we often need to work on multiple priorities at the same time. Key to our success is being able to prioritize, focus and execute while being very efficient. Fortunately, we are blessed with many parent and alumni volunteers who share in the commitment!
Q. How different is this job from your previous position?
A. The scope of this job is broader than my previous position. I will have the opportunity to work in some areas that will be new to me in advancement.
Q. How close is this to what you imagined in high school you'd end up doing?
A. Well, I wanted to be a chef, so I guess it is light years away. The only similarities that I can think of is that I imagine a chef needs to multi-task, supervise a team, set high expectations, respond to criticism, and put forward the best product day after day after day
Q. Where's the best place to get lunch near your new location?
A. The Salem Commons here on campus. The food is great, service is spectacular, and the prices are more than reasonable. I also get a chance to meet some of my colleagues, and occasionally I see my son.
Q. What do you hope to be doing 10 years from now?
A. Everything that I am doing now except at a higher level and with a stronger understanding of the history of Saint John's.
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