Robert “Bobby” Harris is used to being a familiar face to colleagues across Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES. He jokes that in his many years with W-FL BOCES, he’s worked “everywhere,” from maintenance, to the Imaging Center, to PTECH and to ESTEC — now known as BOCES 4 Science — where part of his job involved testing the volcano models sent out to elementary science classrooms.

“Quality assurance,” he chuckled.

Bobby is now the Manager of Financial Operations at EduTech, a role he’ll have been in for four years this month. While his department does purchasing for all 47 of the Wayne-Finger Lakes and Genesee Valley component districts — not to mention managing the millions of dollars encompassed in the EduTech budget — Bobby credits his success to the people skills he’s developed in his 10+ years at BOCES.

“That's one of the biggest things with billing is you've got to have the trust; you’ve got to have the people-first mentality,” Bobby said.

In his first role in EduTech back in 2021, Bobby was an accountant focused on number-crunching. But it’s the relationship-building and ability to pivot on a dime, no pun intended, that are crucial to his current role.

“You have to put that smile on and make sure whatever task, or whatever problem comes up in that moment, you just embrace it and know that however your focus shifts, you’re ready.”

Bobby credits not only his many years with W-FL BOCES, but also his role as a volunteer fireman and licensed EMT with developing his ability to handle whatever comes his way.

“When you get a call, you never know what you're getting into. You never know what the people are going to be like,” he said. “Through volunteering, I learned emotional management and the idea of how you can de-escalate a situation — or give a situation more energy if it needs it.”

Trust is the throughline in Bobby’s career: the volcano model will work, the crisis call will be answered, and the budget will be meticulously cared for.

What does Bobby put his trust in? His colleagues and the dream they’re building together.

“We all might have different day-to-day responsibilities,” Bobby said, “but we all share a common goal and that's helping to support kids and the future.”