Former Clovis Unified superintendent and long-time administrator Terry Bradley died Thursday, according to the school district. He is survived by his wife, Jeannie, two children, Kelly and Billy, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He was 81 years old.

“Anyone who knew him well will tell you that he had a passion for numbers and budgets, and that he loved this district,” said Superintendent Corrine Folmer in a statement. “While everyone knows that Doc Buchanan crafted a vision for education that we benefit from today, fewer know just how much of Doc’s vision was able to be accomplished because of Dr. Bradley’s expertise in navigating California’s school funding model and creating brilliant strategies to achieve our facilities goals.”

Bradley served as superintendent from 2002 to 2009, but his time with Clovis Unified dates back to 1976 when he was the district’s chief business officier. The district’s newest comprehensive campus — the Terry P. Bradley Educational Center at 2501 N. Highland Avenue in Fresno —is named in his honor.

Started Career as a Techer in Wisconsin

Bradley came to Clovis by Wisconsin, where was he a teacher for 10 years. Bradley earned his doctorate degree in school management from University of LaVerne in 1986. He shared his expertise as a visiting professor at University of Southern California, University of San Francisco, and Fresno State.

While with Clovis, the district earned multiple State Distinguished School awards and National Blue Ribbon awards.

Runs Afoul of the SEC

After Bradley retired, he started a firm, School Business Consulting. In 2016, Bradley settled Securities & Exchange Commission allegations that he shared the private information of school districts while negotiating contracts. The settlement included no admission of guilt.

Under the settlement, a company Bradley worked for and its principals were fined a total of $150,000. In addition, Bradley’s company was ordered to pay a $30,000 fine. He also agreed to a $20,000 personal fine and no longer being allowed to act as a municipal adviser.

Bradley Consulting With District as Late as June

As recently as June, Bradley was working with school districts and mentoring superintendents around Fresno County. He was honored with the Jim Murdoch Lifetime Achievement Award by the Coalition for Adequate School Housing.

“He leaves an incredible legacy that our Clovis Unified team will carry forward, and that the future students of the Terry P. Bradley Educational Center will be well-versed in,” Folmer said. “A legacy of wisdom and integrity, of humility and hard work, one that doesn’t take ‘no’ for an answer if it means taking care of kids, and a legacy that pours its heart into this community… just as Dr. Bradley did.”