Kristen M. Scalise CPA, CFE has served as our Summit County Fiscal Officer since 2011, maintaining her commitment to excellence and accuracy.
She successfully invests and safeguards over $1 billion annually, balancing to the penny daily. She also oversees a budget of over $19,500,000 and manages approximately 150 employees in the divisions of Auditor, Recorder, and Treasurer.
Her skills as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) make her an extremely qualified leader who continues to bring recognition to the Fiscal Office, earning achievements such as the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting and the Ohio Auditor of State Award with Distinction. In 2016, Kristen received national recognition from the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) earning the Outstanding CPA in Government Impact Award.
Keeping Her Promises to Summit County
Since taking office, Kristen has kept her promises to modernize operations, introduce new technology, and implement innovative programs to improve the quality of life for residents and property owners.
Kristen was a moving force in establishing the Summit County Land Bank in 2012 and has been the Chairperson since its inception. Her efforts through the Land Bank have encouraged long-term development and recovery for our neighborhoods. At the close of 2023, the land bank has removed 1,650 structures through demolition, processed more than 1,000 side lot applications and acquired and rehabbed more than 150 blighted properties countywide returning them to the active tax rolls.
In 2013, Kristen placed Summit County among the first in the State of Ohio to offer an identification card to honorably discharged military veterans. The Veteran ID Card program has promoted awareness about the importance of recording military discharge records. To date, the program has benefitted more than 8,700 Summit County veterans.
Putting Summit County First
Kristen put Summit County in the lead again when she introduced some of the strictest regulations in the State of Ohio for consumer protection of county unclaimed funds. These changes were introduced to better protect the owners of over $3.2 million held in county unclaimed funds from scams and predatory third parties. Since taking effect, the new regulations have ensured that approximately $2.4 million in county unclaimed funds has been returned fairly and to its rightful owners.
Keeping her promise to property owners, Kristen improved the Fiscal Office’s technology when she launched a public access module to facilitate electronic recording of property records (e-Recording) and offer more accurate online public record searches in the Recorder Division. The technologically advanced platform allows property owners and real estate professionals to electronically record, search, and download property records. Her efforts earned national praise when she was presented with the 2018 Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in eRecording by CSC, a world leader in providing business, legal, tax and digital brand services.
Most recently, Kristen has formed the Delinquent Tax Coalition Committee, and is working closely with local leaders and agencies to address the needs of Summit County homeowners. Since its inception, the committee has hosted several free community events and helped thousands of residents with housing issues.
A Strong Leader For Summit County
Kristen is a strong leader in local government and has been recognized at the State level for her commitment to professional development. She currently serves as Chair of the Summit County Land Reutilization Corporation and Summit County Investment Board. She is an active member of the Summit County Internal Audit Committee, Board of Control, Board of Revision, GIS Advisory Board, IT Board and the Statewide Legislative Committee for the County Auditor’s Association of Ohio (CAAO). In 2014, Kristen earned the Distinguished County Auditor Award from the County Auditor’s Association of Ohio (CAAO) for completing more than 100 hours of continuing education during her term. She has also been recognized by local organizations, earning the Jane Quine Award from the Summit County Democratic Party, Past Unforgotten Award from the Greater Bethel Church, Harold K. Stubbs Humanitarian Award for Distinguished Service in Government from the St. Paul A.M.E. Church, and Women of Power Award from the Akron Urban League.
Kristen has also been nationally recognized by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) as an Outstanding CPA in Government and honored for implementing electronic document recording technology by CSC, a world leader in business, legal, tax, and digital brand services.
Certifications and Affiliations
Her professional affiliations include the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants, National Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts, County Treasurers Association of Ohio, Ohio Public Treasurer Association, International Association of Assessing Officers, County Auditors’ Association of Ohio, Ohio Recorders’ Association and Government Finance Officers Association.
Kristen has been a resident of Summit County for over 39 years and currently resides in the City of Green. She is a proud graduate of the University of Akron and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting. Kristen is a Certified Public Accountant (conferred in 1992), a Certified Fraud Examiner (conferred in 2008), and holds an Ohio Financial Accountability Certificate. In 2012, she earned the designation of Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) from the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA).