Troxel critical to college’s success

A lot can happen in 22 years.
Children graduate, grandchildren are born and jobs change. For Steve Troxel, the last 22 years have flown by.
Troxel, vice president for finance and operations at Allen Community College, has announced his retirement effective Aug. 1.
Troxel serves as chief financial officer for the college. He manages the college’s fiscal affairs, auxiliary enterprise areas, the physical plant and information technology.
Troxel’s education started right here in Iola.
He graduated from Iola High and then attended ACC in 1970. He was in the first class to attend classes at the campus north of town. From there he attended Pittsburg State University where he earned his bachelor’s in accounting. After college he enlisted in the military. His first job was in public accounting in Joplin, Mo.
“I came back here (Iola) and went to work for Max Snodgrass and Andy Dunlap,” Troxel said of the local accounting firm. “From there I went to Allen County Hospital and was the CFO for five and half years.”
After working for the hospital he opened his own accounting firm as a CPA.
That lasted 10 years until in 1992 the new ACC president John Masterson reached out to Troxel.
“He has been one of the strengths to our administration team and has a good handle on our finances,” Masterson said. “He will be hard to replace.”
When Troxel came on board in December 1992 enrollment was declining and the college as a whole was trying to figure out what to do next.
“I think we’ve been successful at growing the college,” Troxel said. “There was a 10-year period when we were the fastest growing college in the state.”
In that time they were able to build up their cash reserves and implement a 20-year facility plan.
“We look ahead every four to five years,” Troxel said. “This year we will remodel labs, entryways and give a facelift to the locker rooms and restrooms.”
While not as visible, a maintenance prevention plan is as critical, Troxel said, including wiring for the Internet, plumbing and boilers.
“There are a lot of things we’re able to do and you don’t realize how much you’ve done until you take a look back,” Troxel said.
In the time that Troxel has served as vice president of operations the college has spent $14 million on capital improvements.
With his extensive background in finance, Allen trustees look to Troxel for answers.
“The trustees trust him and he’s always very careful with the figures,” Masterson said. “He explains it thoroughly to them and he believes in transparency.”
When Troxel brings a bid or a budget to the trustee meeting he tries to bring as much information to them as possible.
“I’ve always tried to give them the best information,” he said. “I guess I put myself in their situation and ask what they would want to know and provide them with that information. I’ve always tried to give them the best information and I hope I’ve done that for them.”

TROXEL plans to trade in his calculator for a fishing rod. Hobbies have been put on hold for the last 40 years as Troxel built his career.
“My wife, Linda, and I will do some traveling,” he said. “With the nature of my job I’ve never been able to take more than a week at a time.”
He enjoys all types of fishing but would like to do more fly fishing. He and Linda have talked about doing a Canadian fishing trip because she likes to fish, too.
A few years ago the couple purchased an RV and plan to go site seeing.
“Hopefully we could take the grandkids with us, too,” he said. “I would like to spend more time with them.”
Troxel has a daughter, Jennifer, who is an ACC graduate and a nurse in Kansas City. He has three grandchildren, Sofie, 7, Liam, 4, Stella, 2.
Looking back over the years Troxel is pleased with his time at Allen.
“I think one of the greatest accomplishments is moving the college in a positive direction,” Troxel said. “I hope my contribution was positive and I made a difference, I think I did.”