HFC welcomes Director of Financial Accounting Ryan Leright
Ryan Leright, HFC Director of Financial Accounting, realized early in his career that he wanted to work in the higher education field.
“In higher education, I am working to help the next generation of professionals,” said Leright. “I was lucky enough to work for Eastern Michigan University for seven years. That was my first foray into higher education and made me understand this is where I wanted to be.”
Air Force veteran intrigued by organizational connections
Leright is the eldest of two. He lives with Samantha, his wife of 12 years and an HFC alumna, in Garden City.
After graduating from Franklin High School in Livonia, Leright served in the United States Air Force for six years, completing two tours overseas in Iraq and Oman. His primary military specialty was materiel management. His final rank in the USAF was staff sergeant before earning an honorable discharge.
Leright earned his associate degree in logistics from the Community College of the Air Force. He transferred to EMU, where he earned both his bachelor’s degree in accounting and his MBA in finance. He completed both of his degrees at EMU on the G.I. Bill.
“After serving in the military, I was looking for something that was stable, paid well, and could take me anywhere, so I went into accounting,” he said. “It’s fascinating to see the relationship between how the different operations of an organization all intertwine and blend into a total financial and business picture. It's also helpful to understand the intricate flow of procedures and their impact on the big picture.”
Wanted to be part of the HFC community
After serving as the Assistant Controller at EMU, Leright came to HFC in mid-May 2025.
“Multiple people in my family, including my wife, attended and graduated from HFC,” said Leright. “I have been able to see firsthand the positive impact HFC has had on their lives, and I wanted to be a part of that community. Being close to home doesn’t hurt either.”
Leright succeeds Barbara Eisterhold, who retired at the end of May after 21 years at the College.
“I was lucky enough to transition under Barb for a couple of weeks,” he said. “She has a wealth of knowledge and she ran a very effective operation. I wish her all the best in her retirement.”
Leright will supervise 20 people across three teams. His duties include overseeing HFC’s accounting, payroll, and bursar operations.
As he settles into his new job at HFC, Leright wants to be an agent of change, to develop new processes and streamline operations. “I am hoping that we can make things more efficient and be a strong resource of knowledge in financial decisions.”