Diocese names Donnelly director of parish accounting

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
December 16, 2004

Diane Donnelly has recently been named the director of parish accounting for the Diocese of Sioux City.

Donnelly has been with the diocese since March of 2000 as the accounting manager.

In Donnelly's new position, more of her time will be spent with the parish bookkeepers. She will travel to the parishes to help them as well as give them support over the phone.

"I really enjoy working with the parish bookkeepers," said Donnelly. "They have always been very receptive and very appreciative of our help."

During the past four year, she has been conducting financial reviews and will continue the reviews in her new position. According to Donnelly, a financial review is "less in scope than an audit which is conducted in accordance with generally accepted accounting standards." Procedures for the review include, but are not limited to evaluating internal controls, bank confirmations, restrictions on donor contributions, payroll procedures, analysis of account activity in Quick Books and test compliance with diocesan policies and procedures.

She will be assisting Linda Topf with desk reviews. A desk review looks at the accounting records maintained in Quick Books which the parishes submit to the operations office on an annual basis. Desk reviews are less comprehensive than financial reviews. If a problem is identified, the parish bookkeeper is contacted and assisted with the necessary changes.

"I want the parishes to feel that they can use our office as a resource for assistance with IRS correspondence, Quick Books questions, procedures to enhance internal control, etc.," said Donnelly. "Many of the parish bookkeepers do not have a background in accounting, and we can explain the accounting standards and assist them with implementation."

Donnelly will also perform bookkeeping services for some of the local parishes on a contracted basis.

She is originally from Jefferson, S.D. and attended the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, S.D. She earned a bachelor of science in business administration from USD.

Donnelly and her husband, Larry, and their four sons reside in Elk Point, S.D.