About Us
District Connection was founded by experts who have worked in the school district business environment and Implicit Solutions, a team of procurement professionals. District Connection incorporates Implicit Solutions' patented technology to empower school districts with an effective, online procurement tool.
Terry A. Penn
Terry Penn has been in school business operations for nineteen years. Upon earning his Bachelors of Business Administration degree in Accountancy and Information Systems from the University of Texas of Permian Basin in 1990, Terry began auditing school districts, non-profits and governmental units for a private accounting firm, as well as providing other public accounting services. He accepted the position of Chief Financial Officer for Dallas County Schools (DCS) in 1997. In 2000, Terry became responsible for the Transportation Department, providing school bus services for ten school districts with a fleet of 1,650 school buses. As the Executive Director of Transportation, reporting to the Superintendent, Terry oversaw the implementation of numerous cutting-edge programs and technologies designed to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of transporting 60,000 students each day. In 2007, Terry became the Assistant Superintendent of Finance, responsible for managing all aspects of the $80 million operation. After the 2007 legislative session opened opportunities for school districts to expand their revenue sources, Terry was assigned to the new position of Assistant Superintendent of Operations and Planning.
Terry is well-known as a popular instructor of certification courses for the Texas Association of School Business Officials (TASBO) and he has conducted numerous workshops and presentations for TASBO, Texas Education Agency, (TEA) and other groups. He has also assisted in the design and implementation of several software programs in the education business area.
Terry now provides management consulting services in all areas of school business operations, including finance, budget, payroll, purchasing, human resources, risk management and transportation services, for school districts in Texas and neighboring states. Among his clients are some of the nation's largest school districts, New York City Department of Education and Dallas Independent School District to name a few. "My goal is to help school districts improve the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of their financial and administrative operations," Penn reports, "School districts' business systems is becoming more sophisticated and necessary to assists staff in managing the day to day complex matters often found within the departments. Terry is currently the President of the Rockwall County Child Welfare Board and has previously served in Odessa, Texas on the boards of the Lions Club, Boys and Girls Club and Food Bank. In his spare time, Terry enjoys fishing, hunting, woodworking, cooking, traveling and spending time with his family.
Implicit Solutions
Implicit Solutions leads the industry in procurement technology. Most recently, it was selected by The Federal Transit Administration to nationally lead transit agencies for a Cooperative Procurement Project with expected purchases of over $100 million during a five year contract.
http://www.fta.dot.gov/news/news_events_procurement_news.html#Cooperative_Procurement_Pilot_Program