Joel Sylvester – Business Manager
Joel Sylvester
Business Manager
Joel joined Our Lady of the Woods in October 2007 after a 29-year career with Ford Motor Company working in a variety of accounting and tax positions. He has two children—Dan in Sioux City, Iowa and Julie in Akron, Ohio (plus granddaughter Madison). He and his wife Marian presently live on Grosse Ile.
As Business Manager, Joel’s job is to oversee all aspects of parish operations except liturgical and/or pastoral ministries. His specific responsibilities include those associated with Finance and Administration, Personnel, Facilities, Office Technology and Parish Communications:
Finance and Administration
- Banking and disbursement of parish funds
- Payroll, W-2s, state and federal government reports
- Parish financial statements and reports
- Annual budget and year-end reports to the Archdiocese of Detroit
- Act as a resource to parish Finance Committee, Pastoral Council, etc.
- Manage parish accounts payable and receivable
- Assist in coordination of parish fundraising activities
Personnel
- Administer employee benefits
- Maintain personnel records
- Work with Pastor and appropriate committees in hiring, training and overseeing new employees
- Facilitate discipline and/or dismissal of employees when necessary
- Ensure employment law compliance
Facilities
- Oversee maintenance, including improvement and repairs, of all buildings
- Ensure proper inventory maintenance and management
- Oversee implementation of approved major purchases, repairs and capital improvements
- Work with appropriate committees / volunteers / contractors to prepare cost estimates for major repairs and/or capital construction projects
Office Technology
- Selection, purchase and installation of office computers, copiers, software and related items
- Computer network maintenance, including e-mail, phone systems, etc.
- Supervise maintenance of parish website, Internet access and network security
E. Parish Communications
- Oversee production of weekly church bulletin, website updates, etc. and develop business relationships with appropriate vendors (bulletin publishers, Internet service providers, website hosting, etc.)
- Assist with the creation of informational and promotional flyers, posters, bulletin inserts, brochures, etc.