Looking to plant roots

The Thermopolis Independent Record will be doing stories over the next few weeks on the new staff and teachers in Hot Springs County School District. This week we start with Chauncy Johnson and Brenna Huckfeldt.

Chauncy Johnson has taken on the position of Business Manager for the Hot Springs County School District.

Originally from Sheridan, Johnson said he used to spend summers working on his grandfather's ranch west of Thermopolis. His mother also graduated from Hot Springs County High School.

"I intentionally applied for this job because I wanted to be here," he said. "I'm looking forward to raising my kids in Thermopolis."

As for his educational background, Johnson said he received a bachelor's degree from Utah State University in political science and Spanish in 2005. He then went on to receive his master's degree in public administration from the University of Wyoming.

He has worked in several different areas throughout his career. He worked in the private sector as a business manager for Kiewit Company, which he said is a large construction company.

He said he went on to work for the City of Casper in the City Manager's Office as a project manager.

He said he did a lot of data analysis from collecting data on the housing in the community to writing letters for the mayor and working on a budget.

Later, he said he moved on to Human Resources with the City. He was Human Resources Analyst for three years.

At Casper College, he said he worked as the Assistant and Human Resources for about eight months until the director retired. Then he was promoted to the director position.

"I worked for the college for about four and a half years and then I applied for this job last spring and got the job to come here to Thermopolis," he said.

Johnson said his official title is Business Manager, however he is much more. The director of the maintenance crew reports to him as well as the transportation director and food service reports to him as well, which he said technically makes him the food service director.

Johnson said he is thrilled to be here.

"I'm just happy to be here and contribute the talents and experience that I have to the Hot Springs County School District," he said. "It's just a great place to be."