Melissa S. Riddle is chief financial officer and vice president at Children’s Home Association of Illinois, where she plans and administers all aspects of the agency’s financial operations and is also responsible for its Human Resources, Facilities and Management Information System. Riddle consistently engages her team to seek new service opportunities, strengthen current services and develop strategic relationships, allocating resources where they will have the greatest impact on children and families.
She oversees a budget of over $22.5 million with a bottom line that impacts more than 30 programs, nearly 400 staff members, and the lives of nearly 3,000 children and youth each year. Her attention to detail and financial acumen have successfully guided the organization through some of the worst times ever faced by social service agencies, leaving it largely unscathed by the state’s fiscal crisis.
While other nonprofits have closed their doors, Riddle has helped implement new initiatives and expand the capacity of existing programs, preparing Children’s Home to be successful far into the future. Her expertise on fiscal matters for child welfare agencies is routinely sought out by community and statewide advisory groups.
A dedicated volunteer, Riddle serves on the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce Finance Committee, assisting in reviewing financial statements and related issues as they arise. In addition to supporting the programs of Children’s Home, she serves on the Illinois DCFS Child Welfare Advisory Council Finance and Administration Subcommittee and Washington State Bank Board of Directors, and has participated in many Heart of Illinois United Way service projects.
Riddle is a member of the Illinois Farm Bureau, the American Institute of CPAs and the Illinois CPA Society. She is also dedicated to her family and her family farm, where she assists with planting and harvesting in addition to lending her financial expertise. Even as a busy working mother of two, she places top priority on her children’s education, and enjoys supporting their school and activities. iBi
