County payroll supervisor leaves

July 11, 2015 at 12:00a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

Mahoning County has lost a key employee.

Thomas Lyden resigned as the county’s payroll supervisor, effective Friday, to become a payroll systems analyst at the Cleveland Clinic.

Lyden, whose final annual county salary was $56,430, will work in the Clinic’s Independence technical center near Cleveland.

Lyden joined the county treasurer’s office as an intern in May 2005 as he completed his bachelor’s degree in accounting at Youngstown State University and later was the financial-systems administrator in that office before becoming payroll supervisor in the county auditor’s office in October 2011.

“I’ve been here 10 years. I enjoyed my time here, and met a lot of great people and worked with a lot of great people, but I felt like it was time to do something new,” said Lyden, who will receive his master’s degree in business administration from YSU in December.

The Austintown native said he took the Cleveland Clinic job because it offers opportunities for career advancement and will allow him to concentrate on his interest in information technology.

The Cleveland Clinic has about 40,000 employees worldwide and 30 payroll workers, compared with Mahoning County’s 1,800 employees and two auditor’s office payroll workers, which included Lyden.

“Tom did an excellent job for us,” said county Auditor Ralph T. Meacham. “I’m sorry to see him go. I wish him well,” Meacham said, adding that he wants to fill the vacancy quickly.

With an advertised salary of $48,000 to $63,000, the job has a 4:30 p.m. Tuesday application deadline.

A bachelor’s degree in accounting or completion of core accounting coursework, computer literacy, excellent communications skills and at least five years of payroll-processing experience are required.

Supervisory experience is preferred.