After 17 years, diocesan CFO retires — former controller to take over as his successor

Maura Baker

Staff Writer

In 2008, Bishop Roger Foys hired Dale Henson as the Diocese of Covington’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Now, 17 years later, Mr. Henson will be retiring from the role.

A mandatory position according to the 1983 Code of Canon Law, the financial officer is responsible for the administration of diocesan monetary assets. An important role that Mr. Henson took to well, according to Bishop Foys, allowing Mr. Henson to become a good friend to the retired bishop. “We’ve carried us through our difficulties, and we’ve bonded closer,” Bishop Foys said at a Curia luncheon celebrating Mr. Henson’s retirement.

“Thank you, we’re grateful to you,” Bishop John Iffert also said, congratulating Mr. Henson on his retirement, “We welcome you back anytime — you are not gone from our lives. We will continue to be connected, and we are very grateful for your service.”

Mr. Henson also took the time to thank the bishops and the other Curia staff in turn — saying that when he joined the Curia, he “felt at home immediately. This is where I was supposed to be.”

“My mother told me one time that, as she got older and looked back on her life, she saw the hand of God in so many places that pushed her in the direction that she went,” Mr. Henson tearfully said. “As I look back over my career, I see the same thing … so, it’s been a pleasure, and, as I said to Bishop in my resignation letter, being the CFO has been the honor of my career. I feel very blessed that I could use my talents in this capacity for the Church.”

The successor to Mr. Henson’s role will be Bob Hagedorn — who previously served in the diocese as the controller under Mr. Henson’s leadership.

“I’m very grateful for Dale, of course, because he mentored me basically for eight years,” Mr. Hagedorn told the <<Messenger>>. “I’m looking forward to working more directly with the pastors and the principals and everything. It (CFO) is a more front-facing position than the back-office position of controller I held previously — and that’s scary, but also exciting. I’m looking forward to that and getting to have relationships with all of these people and build trust with them.”