Executive Vice President, Finance and Operations University of Minnesota | Minneapolis, Minnesota We are pleased to announce that Brian Smith has been appointed the University of Minnesota’s next executive vice president for finance and operations, effective December 31, 2026.Smith will serve as the University’s chief financial officer, chief operations officer and treasurer, providing strategic leadership for the organization’s finances, operations and long-term sustainability.Smith currently serves as senior vice president and chief financial officer at the University of Texas at Austin, and previously held senior finance and operations leadership roles at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Michigan. Throughout his career, he has helped lead multi-billion-dollar operating and capital budgets, long-range financial planning and resource allocation strategies that support academic, research and clinical priorities.The executive vice president for finance and operations and chief financial officer plays a critical role in advising the president and senior leadership team on the University’s priorities while ensuring the organization’s resources effectively support its land-grant mission of education, research and outreach. The position oversees the University’s $5.4 billion operating budget and provides leadership for more than 2,700 employees in University Budget, Compliance, University Finance, Health, Safety, and Risk Management, Information Technology, Investments and Banking, Public Safety and University Services across five campuses and other locations.As the University continues implementing its Elevate Extraordinary 2030 strategic roadmap, Smith will help guide efforts to strengthen long-term financial success, support strategic investments and advance operational excellence that enables the University to deliver on its mission and maximize its impact across Minnesota.Rebecca Kennedy and Dan Rodas led this search with Steph Simon and Caroline Corry.The full announcement can be found on the University of Minnesota’s website here.
